To Bear Witness
by Striking Falcon
Summary: A known CEO and his Junior Exec. are being protected by the U. S. Marshals until further notice. What happens when its not someone you're supposed to protect, but something? SK
1. A Call Starts It All

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter One: The Call That Starts It All

/Atlanta, GA, 3:30 AM/

RING!

A woman, possibly no older that fifty, asleep at her desk jerked to life when the phone rang again. She blinked owlishly, then yawned, turned and picked up the noisy pest.

"Hello?" she asked, her voice thick and heavy with slumber. She suddenly snapped to attention, her back straight as she turned toward her computer.

"Yes, this is Kaede. How can I help you?"

a moment pause

"Yes, I know who he is."

Nod

"Yes, I see how that's a problem. Don't worry about a thing, I'll send my best people to him as soon as possible. Thank you sir." Kaede hangs up the phone and turns on her computer. Scanning through employee files, she mentally goes through what, or who, she needs.

'This is a rather important assignment. I need only my best people in the field, plus a tech here for support. Let's see, here's a good one.' She clicked on a file and read when it popped up on screen.

)File 145(

Name: Taijia, Sango

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Black

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 129 lb.

Marital Status: Single

'I'm sure her boyfriend would disagree with that,' Kaede thought with a smile as she continued to read.

D. O. B.: 07/25/77

Sex: F

Specialty: Field Ops.; Bomb Squad

Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK

'Yes, she'll do for this,' Kaede decided as she minimized the file. 'Now who else?' She continued to search until she stopped with a groan. 'Not him. Those two together won't get a thing done.'

)File 078(

Name: Houshi, Miroku

Eyes: Grey-Brown

Hair: Black

'And entirely too long for my tastes.' Kaede shrugged. 'But I guess these young girls today like them that way.'

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 183 lb.

Marital Status: Single

D. O. B.: 02/14/76

'And he tells every girl that the first time they meet him,' Kaede thought with a sigh.

Sex: M

Specialty: Pilot, Negotiations Tactics

Hometown: Sydney, Australia

'I remember him now. The first Aussie on the team. Well, I guess he could be of some use, but I hope he and Sango can keep their hands off each other long enough to do their jobs. OK, that makes two fields, now for tech support.'

She surfed through the tech people, searching through each one until she came to a stop at one particular file. She smiled as she enlarged it.

)File 458(

Name: Moraiga, Shippou

Eyes: Green

Hair: Red

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 170 lbs

Marital Status: Single

D. O. B.: 09/21/82

Specialty: Weapons Technology, Covert Ops.

Hometown: Dallas, TX

'My little kit,' Kaede thought with a sigh. 'I was so pleased when he decided to enroll with this group. He's begged for long enough to be put on a team, so why not.' She minimized his folder with the first two files and started searching again. 'Now for someone who can hold this team together. Someone with some experience with leadership.' A single name popped in her head and she searched until the young lady's file came onscreen. 'Ahhh…she will do nicely.'

)File 248(

Name: Higurashi, Kagome

Eyes: Blue-Gray

Hair: Black

Height: 5'2"

Weight: 110 lbs.

D. O. B.: 01/18/79

Specialty: Marksmanship, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Leadership Tactics, Negotiations Tactics

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

'This is perfect,' Kaede grinned as she searched their files for their home numbers. 'Each of them now live in Atlanta! This should be a snap to get together, then I can go home!'

__

/Atlanta, GA 2:00 am/

"No…" she said as she tossed and turned. "No, don't go. Don't leave me."

She tossed again, throwing a few pillows off their perch as she slept. She wrapped around a large one, then tossed again; her dark hair plastered to her face and drenched in sweat.

"Don't…I don't know who you are…" she whispered, then

"NO!!!"

THUMP!

"Ow…" Kagome grumbled irritably, glancing around her bedroom. She sighed despondently and stood up, heading for the bathroom and her shower. She came out a few minutes later dressed in a baby pink terry jogging suit with matching shoes. She reached inside her vanity drawer for a matching scrunchie and walked out of her room to her living room. She moved the white leather couch and loveseat to the side, then moved the glass coffee table before going to her hall closet and pulling out her treadmill. Positioning it in front of the large bay window in the room overlooking the city, Kagome placed the phone in arm's reach and started to run.

"Why do I keep having that stupid dream?" she asked herself as she turned the machine up a notch. She moved from a slow walk to a slow jog, allowing the beat of her feet against the rubber to work out the kinks in her mind.

"It's always the same man, the same dream, the same way, every night for a week now. I think I'll call Grandpa tomorrow. He'll know what to do."

RING!

Kagome blinked out of her musings and picked up the phone.

"Higurashi."

She smiled suddenly, stopping the machine and sitting down on the edge of it to talk comfortably. "No, you didn't. I've been up for a while."

Pause.

"Yes, same dream. Don't worry about it. What can I do for you, Kaede?"

Pause, then a nod.

"Sure, no problem. Need me to do anything else?"

Laugh.

"You can't, huh? Sango either? Don't worry, I know where they are. 6:30, right? OK, see you then."

Kagome hung up the phone, only to push the speed dial on the receiver. She waited patiently, her foot tapping on the hardwood floor when

"This had better be good," a man groaned. Kagome giggled. "Is that any way to treat a friend, Miroku?"

"Kagome! I was just thinking about you!" Whap! "OW! Not like that, I mean!"

Kagome stifled a giggle, then cleared her throat before she got down to business. "Kaede wants you, me and Sango at h. q in three hours."

"Three hours?! I don't think Sango and I are going to make it," Miroku said. Some giggling from the other side of the phone, then a female took over.

"Hello Kagome. You really know how to take the fun out of a girl's day."

"Morning Sango," Kagome chirped. Sango groaned. "Why are you so chipper?" a gasp, then "The dream again, huh?"

Kagome nodded. "Yup, again. Don't start worrying. You and Miroku only have three hours to get to headquarters."

"Three hours?! No one can make it to downtown Atlanta in three hours!"

Kagome huffed and stood up. "Of course not when you live at least a mile out the city!"

Another huff from the other end. "Not all of us have rich uncle's that can buy us apartments, _Kagome_!"

Miroku's voice suddenly replaced Sango's. "Now now you two. No catfights unless it's in a pool of vanilla pudding and I get to sell tickets."

"_WHAT?!" _screamed Kagome.

"_WHAT?!_" came Sango's voice from the other end. A slap was heard, then Sango came back to the phone.

"We'll be there," she growled before the line went dead. Kagome smiled and hung the phone up. She started the treadmill again, figuring that one more run wouldn't kill her.


	2. All The Info You'll Ever Need

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Two: All the Info You'll Ever Need

/_6:25 AM Friday/_

Kagome sat in the waiting room of the Atlanta branch of the Marshal office patiently. She glanced at her watch, at the door, then her watch again and sighed. 'I knew I should have picked them up myself,' she thought with a low growl. She stopped exercising at 4, took a shower, changed into a baby blue version terry jogging suit and sped down here to wait on Sango and Miroku. And they were late, as usual.

A giggle by the doors brought Kagome out of her revere. She glanced up, then held back a giggle as Sango and Miroku came inside.

Miroku looked as casual as ever, with a pair of black wind suit pants and a white t-shirt. But Miroku wasn't what Kagome, or the rest of the lobby for that matter, were laughing at. It was Sango, who smiled as she approached Kagome. She wore a black miniskirt with matching pumps.

And a man's dress shirt that was at least three sizes too big.

Kagome nearly choked when Miroku patted Sango's backside, earning a slap in response.

"Damn Miroku, can't you keep your hands to yourself for once," Sango groaned as she hugged Kagome. Miroku grinned wickedly behind her back, but quickly straightened up when Sango glared at him. Kagome cleared her throat and lead them toward the elevator. When they were finally inside and headed for the 12th floor, Kagome finally cracked.

"Lost your shirt again I see," she said with a straight face. When Sango blushed, Kagome started to laugh, her giggles bubbling up through the shaft to their destination. When the doors opened, Kagome was a little calmer and Sango was a lot redder.

"I swear, I don't know what you do with them, Miroku," Sango grumbled, earning a fresh set of hee-haws from Kagome. Miroku shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Butterfly."

"Yes you do," Sango retorted as they entered the conference room. "Every time I spend the night at your house, you take my shirt. Why?"

Kagome slumped down in one of the swivel chairs around the conference table, gasping for air as the couple argued.

"I don't know what you mean," Miroku lied, his hands behind his back.

"Yes you do! Where do you put my shirts? I swear, if my underwear starts disappearing I'll-"

"Hello everyone," Shippou said as he walked into the room. He glanced from Kagome; who was still laughing, to Sango; who ceased fussing with a light blush on her face, to Miroku; who sat down and stared back at him in feigned innocence. Shippou glanced over Sango's attire and sighed.

"Miroku took your shirt again, huh?" he said as he sat down. Kagome started anew and Sango's blush darkened as Kaede walked into the room. She raised an eyebrow quizzically, but said nothing as she passed Shippou to sit at the head of the table. She gave a quiet sigh, a signal for the meeting to begin.

"I'm sure you're wondering what you're doing here on an early Friday morning," Kaede said as she sat her briefcase on the table.

"You four have been chosen for an assignment in Jacksonville that starts at" glances at watch "11:00. You're to be in Jacksonville before then. Shippou is your technical support and will give you the details of the mission objective, plus who ranks in this mission. I would do it, but I have to go home. Here are your files," she slid three vanilla envelopes across the table to their respective owners. "And Shippou has another package to give you. " Kaede stood up and in a flash of a smile she was gone, leaving the nervous TS to the matters at hand.

"So you're home base, huh Kit?" Miroku said as he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.

Shippou blinked in confusion. "Home base?" he said, obviously confused. Sango nudged Miroku in the side as Kagome explained.

"That's what we call technical support. You know, whoever leads is first, then second, third and TS being home since you stay here."

Shippou nodded in understanding. "Oh, OK. That makes sense. Then Miroku, you're third, Sango's second and Kago" he grinned "you're first."

Miroku grinned at Kagome triumphantly. "You're the new boss, huh? Great! I love to be dominated."

"You must like being beaten too," Kagome said as Sango slapped Miroku upside the head. Shippou held back a chuckle as he picked up his mission notes.

"OK, you two. I need Miroku conscious for this," Shippou warned good-naturedly before beginning.

"About three months ago, all the top computer and technology software companies received threats to sell out or else. All the companies ignored it and now out of the companies, all but three CEO's and owners have been murdered and their company headquarters ransacked. The FBI was called, but they passed it to us. This branch is handling the CEO and owner of Western Technologies Corporation, or WTC for short."

He glanced around, making sure everyone was paying attention before continuing. "Not only are we protecting the CEO, we're also protecting the Junior Executive, since they're brothers."

"Brothers?" Sango said. Shippou nodded and she sighed. "Man, and who said that favoritism is dead?"

"Anyway," Shippou cut in. "Their files are inside the vanilla envelopes Kaede gave you. If you'd follow me to the lab."

The group groaned as Shippou lead them out, heading to his lab, creatively named 'Kit's Playground'. Sango waited until Miroku caught up with the hyper young man before whispering to Kagome

"Why are you still having that dream?"

Kagome sighed and shrugged, keeping her voice low as she answered "I don't know."

"What's it about?"

Kagome sighed. "Same thing. Some guy that I don't know trying to get out of something. I doubt this guy is even real," Kagome said with a sniff. Sango tilted her head to the side, then gasped.

"You're in love with the guy, aren't you?"

"AREYOUSERIOUS?!" Kagome shrieked, earning strange looks from Shippou and Miroku. Kagome and Sango grinned weakly and returned to their whispering.

"Gosh, it was just a question."

Kagome sighed again. "I know. I don't know what to do. I mean, is it nuts to dream about a man with golden eyes?"

Sango shook her head in sympathy. "Nah. Its not nuts. It just means you need to get laid."

OK, maybe not as sympathetic as I thought.

Kagome rolled her eyes in annoyance as Sango continued. "Why don't you date that guy Hojo? You know he likes you?"

"Hojo?" Kagome asked. Then she shuddered in disgust. "That guy from the mailroom?"

Sango nodded.

"Nu-uh. No way. He's cute and all, but he's too nice. He's too, (in Mickey Mouse's voice) 'Hello Kagome. You look so pretty today. Will you go to dinner with me'. Ug."

"What's wrong with that?" Sango countered as they walked into Shippou's lab.

"Nothing. I just get the feeling that if we went out, I'd probably end up with a toothache from him being so sweet."

"So, you're a machocist?"

"NO!" Kagome hissed as they stopped by a file cabinet. Shippou cleared his throat to get their attention before opening a locked file drawer and pulling out a bag of brightly colored balls.

"These are quite unique," Shippou grinned as he plucked out a green ball. Miroku reached inside the bag and grabbed a blue one.

"Oh…gumballs! I love these!" he said as he popped it in his mouth. Shippou paled and slapped Miroku in the back of the head fiercely. The gumball flew out of Miroku's mouth and into Shippou's hand. With barely a grimace, he tossed the ball into an adjacent room made of bullet-proof glass.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!" Shippou shouted as he grabbed Kagome by the waist and dropped them both to the ground. An explosion suddenly rocked the building, sending Sango, Miroku and the lab techs to the floor. When the dust settled, Shippou stood up and helped Kagome to her feet.

"WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT?!" Miroku hollered Shippou's face, dropping into his Aussie accent.

"That, stupid, was a gumball bomb," Shippou stated as he brushed past him and grabbed the bag of 'gumballs' off the shelf he left them on. "They're activated with water, and you only have about 30 seconds before they go off."

"Why didn't you tell me that BEFORE I put it in my mouth?"

Shippou shrugged. "You didn't give me time. That will teach you to keep strange things out of your mouth."

"What fun would that be for Sango," a tech whispered as he brushed past them. Sango blushed, then whapped Miroku's arm.

"Do you tell people what we do?" she thundered.

"Um, maybe a few," he said as Kagome and Shippou started to giggle behind them.

"What's a few?"

"Um…two?"

"Ohhhhhh!" Sango growled. Kagome grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away from Miroku as Shippou handed her three 'gumball' bags.

"These are for the three of you. Don't worry about them being detected at the airport. They won't be. Now come along. And yes Sango, it's still murder if you make Miroku eat one."

Shippou lead them to a table in the middle of the lab, with him on one side and Kagome standing between Sango and Miroku on the other. He reached under the table and pulled out three large black leather pouches. He passed two to Sango and Miroku before opening the third.

"This," he said as he pulled out a two-way pager and motioning for the others to pull out theirs. Kagome shared with Sango as Shippou flipped his over and slid open a hidden compartment in the back. "isn't an ordinary two-way. In this compartment are these."

He lifted out what looked like a contact lens, holding the piece of plastic up for them to see. "This is a tracking device. It's made of an indestructible, flexible, adhesive material that can withstand at least 1000 lbs. It's as thin as a strand of hair and on the inside of it is a tiny microchip that gives off a signal for 100 miles. The two-way itself is a mapping system, an internet source and picks up the honing beacons the tracking devices emit. They can't be detected by metal detectors either."

He put the two-way back in the pouch and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. Shippou gave them to Kagome and motioned for her to put them on as Sango and Miroku put on theirs. "These are your walkie-talkies."

Miroku glanced at the shades doubtfully before putting his on and glancing at Kagome and Sango. While all were small and round, Miroku's were black tinted, Sango's were blue-tinted and Kagome's were purple tinted. Sango's and Kagome's had a small crystal on either arm of their shades, with a small crystal on the bridge of Kagome's. Shippou smiled and reached under the table for his own.

"Kagome, if you'd push the tiny crystal on the left and whisper hello."

Kagome did, reaching up to push the small rhinestone. Sango instantly jumped, staring at Kagome in surprise. "I heard her!" Sango exclaimed. Shippou nodded. "Yup, you did. The crystal on your left, and Miroku you're right arm, all link to her. Sango's right and Miroku's left link them to each other. Kagome's crystal on her nose links her to me." He reached for Kagome's shades and put them back in the pouch before handing the pouch to her. "That's all I have for you today. If you need anything, I'll send it. Weapons and other necessary things are already in Jacksonville."

Shippou showed them out of the lab and to the elevator gates. "Goodbye." He waved. He paused suddenly and grabbed Kagome's arm.

"I almost forgot," he said as he pulled something out of his lab coat pocket. "This is for you, Kago."

Kagome took the small black pouch from him, inspecting it before asking, "What is it?"  
  
"It's a sheath," Shippou explained as he opened it. Inside were two-inch throwing daggers shaped like needles. "I thought you'd appreciate them. The pouch is water-proof, fire-proof, hell nuclear-proof if you want to be technical. It ties to your upper arm." They hugged before he sent her on her way with Sango and Miroku. "Be careful, Kagome-mama!" Shippou called before disappearing inside the lab doors.

"Why does he call you that?" Miroku asked as he pushed the button for the lobby.

Kagome leaned against the wall and closed her eyes wistfully. "I helped Kaede care for him when he was little."

"He's an orphan, right?" Sango asked.

"If Kaede hadn't adopted him he would be," Kagome answered. "Anyway, I used to babysit him when I was in high school. He's called me Kagome-mama ever since."

"Awww….how cute," Miroku cooed as the elevator doors opened. Sango slapped his arm lightly, then growled when she realized she was supposed to be angry with him.

"Don't be angry for too long," Kagome said as she pushed them through the revolving doors to the outside. "Go home, get a change of clothes and the two of you meet me at the airport."

Kagome left them to their own devices; got in her car and drove back to her house. When she arrived, she called her mom and left a message on her answering machine for her to pick up her cat, Buyu and to check on her mail every three days until she got back and a promise to call her later. She changed into a pair of black leather low-rise pants with the boot cut legs, a white shirt with ¾ sleeves and hook-and-eye closures at the neckline, and a pair of black leather anklet boots.

Kagome attached her badge to her belt before packing, tossing anything she thought would be useful into a rolling suitcase and a duffle bag before empting her entire vanity drawer into her makeup bag. She pulled her hair back with a black scrunchie, leaving a tendril in the front to frame her face before leaving the house again for the airport.

Sango and Miroku stood at the gate to the plane in the airport. Sango had changed into a pair of red flare-legged pants with a black tank top and black and red Jordans. Miroku stood beside her in a lime green short-sleeved dress shirt, left open with a white tank to underneath and a pair of blue jeans.

Kagome waving as adjusted her attaché on her shoulders. Inside were the two-way, the 'gumballs', the shades and the files Kaede gave her. She greeted Sango and Miroku, then walked down the ramp to board the plane. When they reached the plane entrance, a small young woman in a chocolate-brown suit greeted them with a warm smile.

"Hi! I'm Rin Juku, Mr. Takamada's personal assistant. He sent his plane especially for you three!" she chirped as she lead them inside the plane. They gasped as they finally got a good look at the inside, realizing that the person they were protecting traveled in style to say the least.

The interior was a white-and-black theme, with white carpet and black leather seats with decorative gold trim. One drink bar was positioned at the front of the plane, and another was in the back before the small hallway that lead to the bathrooms and the luggage areas. Everything about it screamed money and lots of it. Kagome sank down into one of the seats while Miroku and Sango raided the front bar under Rin's watchful eye.

"Aw man! Look here!" Miroku exclaimed as he pulled out a bottle of vodka and a bottle of tequila. "Takamada's got style!"

"Actually, that's Mr. Hitame's bar. Mr. Takamada's bar is over there," Rin said, pointing to the other end of the plane. Sango zipped to it and flung to door open. She oooed and awed for a few seconds before pulling out two bottles of her own.

"Forget Hitame! I like Takamada's taste better! Look!" Sango said as she waved a bottle in Miroku's face.

"Mr. Takamada said for you to have what you wished," Rin said before disappearing into the cockpit.

"He's got some good stuff here Boss," Miroku said from behind the bar. "There's sake, French Burgundy, Bordeaux-"

"Pinot Noir, Barolo, and Cabernet. Hey," Sango said as she pulled out one of the Pinot Noir bottles. "There's nothing but red wine here. How can a guy live on only red wine?"  
  
"You two will never find out," Kagome said as she reached inside her for the case files. "Because you won't be drinking any. Sit down and order water if you're thirsty."

"Aww…" they said as they sat down across from her.

"But Boss-" Miroku started when Kagome glared up at him from her reading. "How would it look for a U. S. Marshal to protect someone drunk? I said no. And don't call me 'boss'."

"Alright," Miroku said as Sango began to read the paper. 'Finally,' Kagome mentally sighed as she opened the first file.

)File One(

Name: Takamada, Sesshoumaru

Eyes: Hazel

Hair: Lt. Blonde

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 198 lbs.

'Wow,' Kagome thought. 'That'd better be muscle.'

Martial Status: Single

D. O. B.: 12/07/74 (?)

Sex: M

Occupation: Owner and CEO of Western Technologies Corp.

Hometown: (?)

'Hm,' Kagome stared in confusion at the last question mark. 'Why wouldn't intelligence know where he's from? And why is there a mark beside his birthday? Oh well, on with the rest of it.'

Information from intelligence:

Inherited WTC from father. (I. Takamada.)

Father and Mother deceased. (I. Takamada D. O D. 05/15/94) (M. Takamada (?) )

Part of the Fortune 500

Time's Most Eligible Bachelor

Rarely seen

Refused buyout from Naraku Jinsue, owner of unknown technology company in Sudan in '97.

'Hm. It seems Takamada's had problems from the beginning,' Kagome sympathized as she ignored Sango's giggling at some goofy joke of Miroku's. 'On to the next.'

)File Two(  
  
Name: Hitame, Kikyou {SF: Like you weren't expecting her here somewhere.}

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Black

Height: 5'4"

Weight: 130 lbs.

Marital Status: Deceased (03/23/97) no children

D. O. B.: 11/03/77

Sex: F

Occupation: Financial Advisor with WTC

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Information from intelligence:

Died from multiple injuries from head on collision in Raleigh, NC.

'Oh, poor woman,' Kagome thought as she closed the file. She guessed who her husband was as she opened the last file.

)File Three(

Name: Hitame, Inuyasha

Eyes: Violet

"Violet?" Kagome said under her breath. "That's new."

'Like you can talk,' a small voice said in her head. 'After all, you dream about a man with golden eyes.'

'Shut up,' Kagome shot back as she went back to the file.

Hair: Black

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 182 lb.

Marital Status: Widowed, no children.

D. O. B.: 06/14/77 (?)

Sex: M

Occupation: Junior Executive at WTC

Hometown: (?)

'I've had enough of these question marks,' Kagome decided as she stood up. She dialed Shippou's cell phone and read the rest of the file while she waited for him to pick up.

Information from intelligence:

Half-brother to Takamada, Sesshoumaru.

Father and Mother deceased. (I. Takamada D. O D.: 05/15/94) (K. Hitame D. O. D. ?)

Widowed (wife: Hitame, Kikyou D. O. D.: 03/23/97)

Criminal charges:

DUI (04/97)

Assault and Battery (08/97)

Brandishing a Weapon (07/98)

'Wow, he took his wife's death tough,' Kagome thought before Shippou's chipper greeting derailed that train of thought.

"Why am I staring at so many question marks?" Kagome demanded.

"Huh?" Shippou countered effectively.

Sigh. "Look in the files, Pup," Kagome said without the attitude, calling him by his other nickname. She could hear his fingers tapping on the keyboard from the other end then

"Why are there so many question marks?" Shippou said, repeating Kagome's earlier statement. Kagome sighed again.

"Look, we can't protect this guy with this little information. Do we have anything else?"

Some more tapping, then "Yeah. Um, Takamada himself is rarely ever seen. He's only done two photo shoots, the one for Time and one for an AIDS fundraiser. Other than that, you mostly see Hitame."

Shippou typed some more, then said "WTC is mostly a educational/robotics/medical research company. In 1995, they came out with a VR device that, if used for school, could help with studies by making it seem like you've been transported to whatever subject you're looking for. I tried it when it first came out, and looked up youkai. It took me all the way to Feudal Era Japan, and I actually got to watch as the CG miko fought a tiger youkai. It was so cool!"

"Yes, I'm sure it was, but why would Naraku Jinsue want to buy them out?" Kagome asked.

"I don't know," Shippou told her as his fingers clicked across the keyboard again. "Jinsue normally buys out military technology. A company like WTC shouldn't register on his radar. Oooo….look at this!"

"What is it?" Kagome asked as Shippou ooooed and ahhhhhed on the other end.

"They recently came out with some new surgical laser. Its called the Tenseiga and it's awesome, if I'm reading this right. It's small, shaped like a ballpoint pin and portable. It cuts like a normal laser, but the unique thing is that there's a setting on it for polymers inside the laser that help seal wounds, like topical stitches. It's not battery-operated, but it feeds off a signal from the main power source at all the WTC branches. Doctors say its like a medical breakthrough because they can use it anywhere, including outside the hospital."

"That is amazing," Kagome agreed. "I need more info that this Pup. See into it for me, will you?"

"Sure, Kagome-mama! Talk to you soon!" Shippou chirped before hanging up. Kagome sighed and rested her head against the back of the seat, reviewing the information Shippou supplied. Sango giggled suddenly and called her name.

"Kagome! Have you read the horoscopes?" she asked. Kagome sat up and shook her head as Miroku came back from the back.

"Restroom, Boss," he explained at Kagome's questioning look. Kagome nodded as he sat down beside Sango. Sango smiled at him before turning to Kagome.

"Check this out. The first one is:

Gemini: Watch out! You're double vision may block the real picture."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Miroku asked as his hand crept closer to Sango's right breast. Sango shrugged. "Don't know, but you shouldn't worry about it. You're an Aquarius, remember?"

"I do, Butterfly. Keep going."

"OK," Sango replied, unaware of Miroku's slowly-approaching hand. "Let's see:

Virgo: You're talents will soon be appreciated.

Leo:

"That's me!" Sango exclaimed before reading. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Huh?" She glanced up to find Kagome silently laughing at something on her shirt. Sango glanced down and whapped Miroku's hand away, then smacked him upside the head.

"Stop! I'm trying to read. You're next!" She glanced over his horoscope and giggled. "This matches you today.

Aquarius: Everyone is watching you today, so mind your manners."

Kagome broke into a fit of giggles as Miroku blushed. He ran an embarrassed hand through his hair, slightly mussing up his ponytail as Sango smiled and continued.

Sagittarius: Go with your gut on matters of importance. You may loose something, but you may also gain something more valuable than what you lost.

"And you, Kago-girl. Capricorn: The man of your dreams may be an angel in disguise. Even the sheep can wear wolves' clothing."

"What does that mean?" Kagome asked as Miroku sighed and sat back. "That's nothing but bullshit, Butterfly. That's why I don't read that crap."

"Well, if you'd read it, maybe you could've saved yourself from getting hit!" Sango shouted as she rolled up the newspaper and whapped him in the head again. Kagome sighed and closed her eyes, mentally laughing at the drama on the other side of her lids.

The rest of the flight to Jacksonville was in silence as each passenger prepared themselves for the mission ahead.

As the plane landed a few hours later, Rin came out of the cockpit. Brushing aside her dark, shoulder-length bob with a firm hand, she smiled as the plane rolled to a stop.

"Don't worry about a thing. There's already a car on the strip ready to pick you up and take you to Mr. Takamada's hotel. You're bags will be loaded as well."

Kagome nodded in thanks as she picked up her attaché case. She walked down the aisle to Rin and smiled. "Thanks Rin. Do you mind if we take a few minutes to set up?"

Rin shook her head and got off the plane, descending down the outside steps to the landing pad below.

Kagome turned around and waited for Sango and Miroku to stand before speaking.

"OK people, from now on we're on the clock. No goofing off, and no funny stuff. These two are depending on us to protect them, to save their lives if need be. We are alone in this. The feds are only here to make it look good. We are the first, the last, the _only_ line of defense these gentlemen have."

She put on the shades Shippou gave her and motioned for the others to do the same. "I expect you to have these with you at all times, along with the two-ways. OK, people." Kagome stopped, adjusted the attaché strap around her waist so the attaché itself rested on her backside. She looked up and smiled as she adjusted her badge over the strap.

"Let's go to work."


	3. I'm Not Just a Girl

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Three: I'm Not Just A Girl

__

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

-R. Kipling, 'The Female of the Species'-

__

/10:40 AM , Jacksonville, Fla./

He stood alone on the balcony connected to his hotel bedroom, watching the activity below.

A stray wind lifted the below waist-length platinum blonde braid from his back to flutter to his side like a banner, rippling the black shadow-print silk pajama pants and brushing aside the bangs that caressed his forehead. He sighed again and turned back to his bedroom to get ready for the day. He closed the French balcony doors, reached inside the closet for the kimono-styled robe that matched his pants and sat down at the desk in the far right corner of the room. Flipping open his laptop with one hand and his cell phone with the other, he waited patiently for the internet connection as he made a phone call.

"Yes, is this Robert Kelson?" he asked.

"I will wait." He started up the search engine, typing in his assistant's email address. He stopped suddenly and returned his attention to the phone.

"Yes, this is Takamada," he said. "Is it ready to launch?" He waited for a moment, then frowned. "Why isn't it ready?"

He stopped typing and turned away from the laptop. "You have to be kidding? Sabotage? How?" He listened a little more, then scowled in the direction of his bedroom door. "I'm going to have to cut this short." He shook his head. "No, I can't make the launch. Yes, its because of…certain problems. Call me here if anything else happens." He snapped the cell phone shut as a young man burst into the room. His near waist-length raven hair stood out from his head like a porcupine, and his red silk boxers twisted around his waist.

"Are they here yet, Sesshoumaru?" he asked.

Sesshoumaru shook his head and returned to his computer. "No. The FBI are still all over the hall. I don't see how you missed them, since you had to run out of you're room past them to mine. Why are you so nervous Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha straightened his boxers before sitting down on the easy chair beside the bedroom door. "I don't like all this protection. I mean, we can take care of ourselves. Besides, all these humans do is attract attention."

"And that is why the marshals are taking over," Sesshoumaru said as he clicked on a picture. "The army of FBI will be replaced with, if Rin is correct-"

"And she always is," Inuyasha retorted, earning a frown from Sesshoumaru.

"Three marshals," Sesshoumaru finished. Inuyasha blinked, then

"HOW ARE THREE MARSHALS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US FROM NARAKU?!!!!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head in mild disgust. He was used to this behavior by now, but it still hurt his sensitive ears. "I thought you couldn't wait for the FBI to leave?"

Inuyasha scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't but _three_ _marshals_?!! What kind of sense does that make?" He sighed and leaned back with his head in his hands. "We're so dead."

Sesshoumaru fought the urge to roll his eyes as he skimmed over a file. "They sent us the best officers they have. Don't tell me you're _afraid_ of Naraku," Sesshoumaru taunted. Inuyasha bolted upright and glared at him.

"Are you kidding?" he shouted. "We'll probably end up protecting their weak, human asses-"

"Keep your voice down! I don't want to packed up and tested on myself, but you can go right ahead, " Sesshoumaru snarled, returning the previous glare Inuyasha sent him.

"Yeah right," Inuyasha scoffed. "Like they can hear us."

"If you continue to shout, they will. Besides, wouldn't you at least like to know what I've found out about our new 'protectors'?"

Inuyasha nodded and scooted closer to Sesshoumaru. "Sure! What are we looking at?"

Sesshoumaru typed a little more, then sighed. "There isn't a lot so far. All Rin said was that its two females and a male."

Inuyasha groaned. "This just keeps getting worse, doesn't it?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "The male is ordinary. He's from a line of monks from Japan and China. One of the females is a descendant of youkai exterminators-"

"Aww man," Inuyasha groaned as he slumped down into the chair. "What else?"

Sesshoumaru glanced out the corner of his eye at him, then said, "And the other female is a miko."

"WHAT?!!!" Inuyasha screeched, bolting upright again. Then he flopped back down and shut his eyes. "We don't have to worry about Naraku. She'll purify us before he gets a chance to do anything."

Sesshoumaru ignored this as his ears twitched sporadically. "They're here."

"Who's here?" Inuyasha asked, forgetting in an instant what they were talking about.

"The Dali Lama; who do you think I'm talking about?" Sesshoumaru growled. Inuyasha's eyes widened in understanding.

"The marshals?"

"Very good. Someone give the dog a prize," Sesshoumaru muttered. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stood up. "I gotta go get dressed," he said as he dashed out the bedroom door. Sesshoumaru watched him go and sighed irritably.

'He's going to be the death of me yet,' he decided as he closed his bedroom door. Sesshoumaru walked into the living room and leaned against the balcony doors in front of the room's main entrance, deciding to wait right here for the new headaches, already identified as marshals, to arrive.

__

/11:00 AM/

Kagome approached the first FBI agent in her line of sights, a guy in his late twenties with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes.

"Excuse me," she said as she tapped on his shoulder. He turned away from the front desk clerk to her and smiled as they shook hands.

"Hi, you must be the marshals," he said as he shook Sango and Miroku's hands. "I'm Agent Terrence Kenji. And you are?"

"I'm Marshal Higurashi and they are Marshals Taijia and Houshi," Kagome replied as she gestured to Sango and Miroku. Agent Kenji smiled and motioned for them to follow him. As they boarded the elevator, Agent Kenji started explaining the FBI's progress.

"We haven't had any problems so far," he said as he pushed the button for the 14th floor. "No one's tried anything, but most of the death threats are directed to Mr. Takamada. Mr. Hitame is here just in case someone changes their mind. We'll stay around the hotel and WTC, but you guys are responsible for them."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened for them to get off. Agent Kenji pointed to three doors and said "The door at the end of the hallway is your room, the one on the left is Takamada's and the one right across from it is Hitame's. Before you go," he paused as Kagome and the others turned to look at him.

"You should know that they fight. A lot."

"They…fight?" Sango said, obviously confused. Agent Kenji nodded. "Yeah. I've only been here a week, but they've fought at least twice."

"You mean yelling, right?" Miroku expected.

Agent Kenji shook his head. "No, I mean 'knock-down-drag-out-HBO-boxing-special' fight. The last one was yesterday in the hotel gym. When we heard it, we thought they were being attacked and tried to go in after them but something kept the door closed. I mean, it wouldn't budge for anything. We tried to break it down, tear it down, everything , but nothing worked. After a few minutes, Takamada came out carrying an unconscious Hitame. He walked to the hotel manager, handed him a check and walked back to his room."

Kagome nodded as Sango and Miroku stared at Kenji in shock. 'That's just great,' Kagome thought as she thanked Kenji for the information. 'Now we're babysitters.'

"Marshal Higurashi?" Kenji called out. Kagome and the others stopped and turned to him.

"Yes?" Kagome said as he approached her. Kenji handed her a business card with his cell phone number on the back.

"If you need anything, and I mean _anything_, you give me a call," he said. Kagome nodded in thanks and reached to shake his hand. Kenji lifted it up and brushed his lips against her knuckles instead. "It was a pleasure meeting you." He boarded the elevator and waved goodbye to Sango and Miroku.

Sango and Miroku burst into giggles as Kagome tried to wipe her hand clean the instant the doors closed.

"He likes you," Sango cooed at Kagome's disgusted face.

"Yeah, that was smooth, the whole hand thing," Miroku gasped in feigned awe. "I'll have to use that."

Sango glowered at him as Kagome rolled her eyes and lead them to Takamada's door. "Be on your best behavior," Kagome warned, shaking her finger at them, sounding suspiciously like a mother talking to her kids before going to they're grandparents. Sango and Miroku nodded.

Kagome opened the door and lead them into the room. They walked down the small hallway, with Sango beside Kagome and Miroku behind them. They stopped abruptly when they reached the living room. Miroku, who wasn't paying attention at the time, crashed into them. Neither Sango or Kagome seemed to notice as they stared ahead of them.

'Wow,' Kagome thought as she tried really hard not to blush. 'How to describe this?'

"Hot shit on a plate," Sango whispered.

'Yup, that about does it,' Kagome thought sardonically. 'Hot shit on a plate' was Sango-speech for, 'This dude is hot!'. Kagome hardly agreed as she gazed at the guy in front of them. 'Hot shit on a plate with chips and dip is putting it lightly.'

He was leaning against the glass French doors that lead to the balcony. The sunlight streamed around him made him look as if he were some kind of god; with a long blonde chain draped over his shoulder to his waist, the black of the robe framing his chiseled chest past his perfect abs to the black silk pants. Venus herself couldn't refuse this perfection of man as his beautiful hazel eyes glared at them…

Wait a minute…

'GLARED at THEM?!!!'

'What the hell is this?' Sesshoumaru inwardly growled as he watched the three in front of him. The male seemed to have fallen at his companions abrupt stop, but they seemed preoccupied. He studied the females' clothing disapprovingly as they watched each other. The one on the left was normal, if not a little unexpected, in her red pants and tank top but the other female seemed to step right off the front page of 'Vogue'.

'What did they do, send the Victoria's Secret models to protect us?' Sesshoumaru thought sarcastically as his eyes followed the way the leather pants flowed over her hips to meet the fitted white shirt. He could almost swear he could see her bra through the hook-and-eye closures as she came out of whatever revere she and the other female fell into and approached him. She timidly brushed the tendril framing her heart-shaped face to the side as she looked up at him and extended her hand to him.

"Mr. Takamada, I presume," she said more than asked. Sesshoumaru glared down past his crossed arms to her hand and sniffed minutely. He could smell another male, one of the FBI agents he didn't particularly care for. 'She must have shaken hands with him,' he thought with no small amount of revulsion.

"How astute of you," he replied, ignoring her hand. She seemed to pout, lowering her hand as her bottom lip seemed to poke out just a bit before flashing him a bright smile. 'Why does she seem so familiar?' Sesshoumaru wondered as she opened her pretty bubble-gum pink lips to speak. 'Pretty? Where did that come from?'

"It's great to meet you. I'm Marshal Higurashi, and this is Marshal Taijia," she gestured to Sango, who recovered enough to sit down on the cream-colored couch in front of her. Sesshoumaru barely lowered his head in recognition.

"And Marshal Houshi," she said as Miroku sat down beside Sango. Sesshoumaru nodded again and asked as Kagome turned back to him.

"I assume you are aware of why we're here."

Sesshoumaru nodded once, mentally deciding to stay where he was. "I am. However, I wasn't told who would be in charge," he said as he glanced at Miroku. Miroku shook his head and pointed to Kagome.

"Don't look at me, she's the boss."

Surprise flickered across Sesshoumaru's face for a second before returning back to the emotionless expression as he glared down at Kagome. 'This girl is in charge? The top of her head doesn't reach my chest! How could she be in charge?'

"You?" he said out loud. Kagome nodded. "Yes, why?"

"A female?"

Kagome nodded again, putting her hands on her hips. "Yeah, why? Do you have a problem with a woman heading over this assignment?" she said.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, noting the fire that blazed in her blue eyes. 'I might have underestimated her,' he thought as he responded. "No I do not. I just wasn't expecting-"

"For you to be dressed like a prostitute!" a gruff voice said from behind her. Kagome whirled around as Sango and Miroku stood up to face him.

Sesshoumaru mentally swore, but stopped cold at the look of shock on Inuyasha's face. He watched him curiously until he whispered,

"Kikyou?"

It wasn't loud enough for the humans around them to hear, but it came in loud and clear to Sesshoumaru's ears. He mentally groaned, realizing why the officer in front of him looked so familiar.

In that instant, he decided to keep Marshal Higurashi away from Inuyasha as much as possible.

Kagome turned around, ready to berate whoever let that insult escape their lips, but when she finally saw him she stopped. He paled right in front of her, and she could have sworn he said something. She walked toward him; thinking he were ill; and gently lead him to a lounge chair beside the couch. Kagome forgot her anger totally as she helped him sit down.

"Are you ok?" Kagome asked as she waved her hand in front of his face. Inuyasha blinked out of his stupor, then nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he huffed. Kagome smiled, "Mr. Hitame, right."

"Yeah, that's me. Who are you?"

Kagome introduced herself, Miroku and Sango again, flashed Inuyasha another smile, then backed away. Inuyasha secretly missed the attention, but crossed his arms over his chest and waited impatiently for her to finish whatever it was he interrupted.

"As you two know, one of us is supposed to be with you at all times, if not all three. While at home and here it's not a problem but when we're in public we're to be undercover. The way I see it, one of us will stay with one of you while whoever's left will stay here. Anyone have a suggestion?"

Sango spoke up first. "We could be interns when they go to work," she said as she glanced from Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha. "That is, if you two think it's a good idea."

"Sure," Inuyasha agreed. "I think so. What about you, Fluffy?"

Sesshoumaru frowned at him, but nodded in agreement.

"Great!" Kagome said, "Now which one of us will stay here?"

"Miroku should, since he's better at staying in one spot. Plus it would give him time to map the hotel," Sango said. Miroku nodded in agreement.

"OK, that was easy then." Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. "Since we have to be your interns, you should pick which one of us will stay with you."

Inuyasha sat up instantly, a wide grin on his face as he said, "I'd like-"

"You shall accompany me, Marshal Higurashi, though I have no need for an intern. I shall give Rin time off with pay and you take her place," Sesshoumaru interrupted, earning a foul look from Inuyasha. He growled softly, the sound lost to everyone's ears but Sesshoumaru's. Sesshoumaru growled back at the same volume, but at a different intensity. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha glared at each other for a few moments, then stopped when Inuyasha looked away in defeat. Sesshoumaru smirked and turned back to the girl in question.

Sango and Miroku watched the silent war between the brothers, then turned a concerned eye to Kagome. Sango fought the urge to gasp as Kagome paled to a nearly ghostly white before them. She raised her left hand gingerly and rested it against her stomach, her fingers softly tapping it as she struggled to get her sporadic breathing under control. She seemed to calm when Inuyasha looked away, and released a small breath before returning to the task at hand.

"Well, that leaves Sango with you Mr. Hitame," Kagome said with a weak smile. Sesshoumaru nodded and motioned for Sango and Miroku to stand.

"That is fine with me. If you will excuse Inuyasha and I," Sesshoumaru said as he lead them to the door. "We have business to discuss."

Kagome and the others nodded. "Sure, not a problem. One of us will be right outside," she said as he shut the door.

Sango and Miroku immediately trapped Kagome between them, concern shining in their eyes.

"What was that about?" Miroku asked.

"What was what about?" Kagome countered as she tried to move past them.

"You know what," Sango said as she stepped back in Kagome's way. "It's your Spider-sense again, isn't it?"

"Spider-sense?" Miroku said, raising a quizzical eyebrow. Kagome blushed as Sango explained.

"It's kinda what you'd call her 'gut-feeling', except it's a lot better than that. We've called it 'Spider-sense' since we were kids. As a matter of fact, it's how we met."

__

---------Sango's Flashback-------

A five year old Sango sat crying in a dark alley in downtown Tokyo. She was lost in this foreign city, separated from her parents all because she wanted a balloon from one of the vendors on the street. She called for them repeatedly, and somehow ended up in this alley. Sango sniffed as quietly as she could, trying not to attract attention from the strangers around her as she scanned the crowd for her mommy and daddy.

"Are you lost?" a small voice said behind her. Sango squeaked and turned around…only to find a girl younger than her smiling at her. Sango smiled back warily.

"Yes. Have you seen my mommy and daddy?" Sango asked. The little girl shook her head, the dark ponytail at the crown of her head flaring about like a whip.

"No, I haven't, but I bet they'd find you in the park!" she said. She grabbed Sango's hand and ran out of the alley to the park across the clearing in front of them. Sango stared at the smaller girl's strange clothes in awe, wanting to ask her what she was wearing. They stopped and sat down on one of the park benches and watched the people go by.

"What's your name?" the little girl asked.

"I'm Sango. What's yours?"

"Kagome!" the girl cheered. Sango giggled, then remembered what she wanted to ask.

"What are you wearing?"

"Oh, this is my miko outfit," Kagome showed off as she tugged on the small white haori and dusted off the red hakamas. "Grandpa says I have to wear this, because I'm a miko."

"Wow…what's a miko?"

"Sorta like a priestess in America. Are you from America?" Kagome asked. Sango nodded and Kagome cheered again.

"Me too! Maybe we can be penpals!"

"I'd like that," Sango agreed as three adults approached them.

"SANGO!"

Sango jerked up, then bolted from the bench to her mother's leg. "MOMMY!"

"Where have you been?" Sango's father asked as they walked closer to Kagome. Kagome's grandfather sat down beside her and smiled.

"See, you're daughter is fine. I knew my Kagome would find her," he said as he tugged Kagome's ponytail affectionately. Kagome squealed and swatted his hand away.

"Grandpa!"

Sango's mother and father sighed in relief as they asked Kagome how she found Sango in the first place.

"I used my Spider-sense!" Kagome said with a grin.

---------Sango's Flashback--------

"Ever since then, we've called it her 'Spider-sense.' We didn't learn until years later that it was some kind of miko power."

"Miko, huh?" Miroku teased as Kagome's blush deepened.

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago," Kagome said as she walked past them to their room. "And we need a new name for it."

"What does it feel like?" Miroku asked as he picked up his bags and dragged them into the room when Kagome opened the door.

"It feels like butterflies are in my tummy," Kagome said truthfully.

"Then that's what it is!" Sango exclaimed as she tugged her suitcases into the room. "Butterflies!"

"That's almost as bad," Kagome said as she dropped her bags in front of her bedroom. "Nevermind it for now. Let's survey the hotel. Miroku, you stay here."

Miroku nodded in agreement as Sango and Kagome left him by Takamada's door. As the elevator descended, he could almost swear he heard growls coming from the room.

'I don't remember Takamada having a dog,' he thought as he sat down in one of the hall chairs.

__

/Sesshoumaru's Room/

"What was that about, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha hissed as he followed Sesshoumaru into his bedroom. Sesshoumaru ignored him as he opened his closet and searched for something to wear.

"Well?" Inuyasha growled from the doorway.

"If you must know, it's for your own good," Sesshoumaru finally said as he tossed a pair of black slacks to the foot of the bed.

"How do you figure that?" Inuyasha hissed again, his fists balling up.

"I heard what you said."

Inuyasha blinked, all the piss-and-vinegar evaporating into the air as he said "What are you talking about?"

Sesshoumaru brought out a cobalt blue dress shirt, then shook his head and put it back before answering. "You called her Kikyou."

"I did not."

"You did so, and although the resemblance is uncanny, it didn't warrant that kind of response."

"That's no reason to do what you did," Inuyasha griped as he sat on the foot of the bed. Sesshoumaru glanced at him over his shoulder before shaking his head.

"You're reaction right now is my reason. Don't fall for that girl. She is only here to make the government look good."

Inuyasha glared at him, his fists balled up again. "You can't tell me what to do, Fluffy. Get it through your head: I'll do what I want. As for falling for her, what do you know about it? You don't love anyone but yourself."

In an instant Inuyasha was out of the chair and suspended in the air by Sesshoumaru's hand. The nails lengthened to claws in an instant, and were digging mercilessly into Inuyasha's neck.

"Watch your tongue, Inuyasha! I'm more patient with you than I should be," Sesshoumaru snarled. "And DON'T presume to tell me about myself!" He flicked Inuyasha into the wall beside them, watching in barely masked rage as Inuyasha slid down the wall to the carpet. "Now leave. I won't get dressed with you in this room."

Inuyasha stood up slowly, his fists at his side as he glared daggers at Sesshoumaru's back as Sesshoumaru walked back to his closet. He finally gave up on the staring contest and stormed out of the room, passing a stunned Miroku on the way to his.

"Everything ok?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah," Inuyasha grumbled as he slammed his door shut. Miroku shrugged and went back to the book he found on the hall stand about women's lingerie.

__

/10:00 PM/

Kagome shoved Miroku and Sango to their rooms, giggling at their small protests. "Go ahead you guys. I'll stay up for the first four hours, then Miroku, then you Sango."

"I don't know about this Kagome," Sango said as Kagome shoved them into the room. "What if you need us?"

"Then I'll call you," Kagome said as she tossed her attaché into the room past them. "Get some sleep. Trust me, I can handle it."

Sango nodded reluctantly as Miroku hugged her from behind. "What are you doing?" she whispered as Miroku started to nibble on her ear.

"Kagome is graciously giving us this time alone. We should take advantage, don't you think?"

The next thing Kagome knew, she was standing in the hallway by herself staring at the closed room door. She sighed, smiled and turned around. She walked down the hallway and sat down in the chair Miroku occupied earlier, recounting the facts of today.

She and Sango covered all possible emergency escape routes in a matter of a few hours, then returned to Miroku so he could scout the entire 24-story hotel. Sango left Kagome in the hall so she could unpack, then waited patiently for Kagome to unpack as well. Everything had gone smoothly once Miroku came back. The only violence to be displayed were a few smacks upside Miroku's head. The only time they saw either brother was around 6:00, when Mr. Hitame came out of his room. Before boarding the elevator, he stopped by Kagome and apologized for his earlier, forgotten, comment.

Kagome sighed again and reached under the chair for her book. She shifted slightly into a better position, then contented herself to a quiet four hours reading.

__

/11:00 PM/

Kagome groaned as she stood up and stretched. She glanced at her watch and groaned. 'Only 11? I thought it was later than that. Oh well.' She decided to tuck the book back into its hiding place and go to the water fountain at the end of the hallway for a glass of water. Kagome leaned forward, bracing herself as she slid the book back under the chair. A sudden wave of dizziness nearly knocked her off her feet as her stomach started to flutter. She managed to return to the chair as she tapped her fingers against her stomach.

'OK, this is weird. I didn't think this would be a problem. I guess I'll have to remedy this tomorrow.'

Kagome stood up slowly, waiting to see if she'd become dizzy again. She didn't, but the butterflies didn't leave her stomach. Kagome groaned, then walked toward the water fountain again. The butterflies seemed to increase as she passed Sesshoumaru's room. Kagome stopped, then backed up. Again, the butterflies intensified. Kagome released her stomach to open the sheath tied to arm as she opened the door.

Inside was pitch black. Kagome walked inside and shut the door, ignoring the darkness as she followed the funny feeling in her stomach across the floor to the living room. Surprisingly, she didn't bump into anything as she felt around in front of her. She finally found Sesshoumaru's bedroom door. The butterflies seemed to jump all at once, and it took everything Kagome had to keep from whimpering as she slowly turned the knob. She pushed the door open silently, then fell into an instinctive crouch. The butterflies disappeared instantly, replaced by a sense of calm as Kagome closed her eyes and listened to the room ahead of her.

For a moment, the only sound was Sesshoumaru's soft breathing as he slept. Kagome glanced to the glass balcony doors and watched as a shadow dropped silently onto the balcony. The figure walked up to the door, then something scraped against the glass. A sudden ping and a second later a hand came through the hole in the glass and unlocked the door. Kagome reached inside the sheath and pulled out two daggers as a figure dressed in black came into the room. She watched as it crept to Sesshoumaru's bedside silently, stopping mere inches from his face. Kagome gripped the needle-like weapons in the fingers of her right hand as she crouched lower, waiting for her chance to act.

The figure reached to its side and withdrew a machete, holding it high over Sesshoumaru's sleeping form before plunging down. Kagome sprang into action instantly, leaping forward as she tossed the daggers at the machete. The three blades clicked into each other, landing beside Sesshoumaru's head as Kagome pounced on the would-be assassin. They fell heavily to the floor, but made no sound as Kagome leaped to her feet first. The figure jumped up seconds after, but not in enough time as Kagome left hooked it in the ribs and sent a right uppercut to its jaw. It fell back down, but this time managed to take a vase down with it. The vase shattered on impact, the sound sharp and abusive to Kagome's ears. She straightened and clamped her handcuffs on the still form.

A sudden low growl from behind her made Kagome's blood run cold. She stood up slowly, her hands raised as she calmed herself enough to speak.

"It's only me, Mr. Takamada. Marshal Higurashi, remember?"

The lights suddenly flickered to life as Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and a host of FBI agents stormed the room. Kagome blinked as the sudden brightness assaulted her eyes, but managed to turn around. Sesshoumaru stood beside his bed as Sango and Miroku walked past him to the figure on the floor.

"What happened?" one of the FBI agents asked. Kagome tapped her stomach absentmindedly as she answered.

"I was standing guard outside when I heard a noise. I came in and found whoever this is trying to kill Mr. Takamada. I stopped them."

"Wow," Inuyasha said as he watched the FBI agents drag the figure away. "Not bad for a girl."

Kagome huffed and walked past him, leaving him with Sesshoumaru as Sango and Miroku followed her out of the room. "We'll be right back," she said before leaving the suite.

Inuyasha chuckled and elbowed Sesshoumaru in the ribs when the door closed. "Getting old, aren't you big brother?" he jeered. Sesshoumaru shot him a dirty look before glancing back at the balcony.

"She's lying."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Sure…you're just mad because a human girl saved your life."

Sesshoumaru went to the balcony doors and shook his head. "No, she's lying."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I was awake the entire time."

"WHAT?!!"

"Really, Inuyasha. Other people are trying to sleep."

"There's nobody else on this floor," Inuyasha retorted. "What do you mean you were awake?"

Sesshoumaru pulled back the curtains, revealing the hole in the glass. "I mean from the time she came in the door, I was awake. I could smell her, smell how nervous she was, even as she opened my bedroom door. I thought she wanted something until she crouched in the doorway. Then her scent disappeared. That's when everything went quiet. I could tell she was waiting for something, but I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't move except to open my eyes. I saw when she tackled whoever that was, and when she deflected the knife. I saw her fight, and she's the miko."

Inuyasha groaned, then grinned. "And you just agreed that she stay with you." He started to laugh, holding his sides as he continued. "You'll be lucky if she doesn't purify you in a week."

"Shut up and go to bed, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru growled as Kagome and the others came back into the suite.

"Um, I guess now someone has to stay with you," Kagome said as she entered the bedroom. "I'll stay here until my shift is over, Sango will replace me in the hall. Then we'll all rotate-"

"That is not necessary," Sesshoumaru informed them.

"Why's that?" Kagome asked.

"You're the only one I want to stay in here."

Kagome quirked an eyebrow at him. "Do you mean, _stay_ in here?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and Miroku shrugged. "It does make sense, Boss," Miroku said.

"Stop calling me that." Kagome sighed, then shrugged as she settled into the easy chair. "Fine. I'll stay here. Sango, you replace me in the hall. You guys switch in four hours."

"Ok," they agreed as they and Inuyasha left the room. Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru went back under the covers and shut off the light.

"Are you ok, Mr. Takamada?" she asked into the darkness.

"Yes, thank you." Kagome sighed and was starting to relax when

"Although it will be difficult to sleep in the nude with you here."


	4. Tell Me A Little About You

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Four: Tell Me A Little About You

__

Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean,

Tears from the depths of some divine despair

Rise from the heart, and gather to the eyes,

In looking on the happy autumn-fields,

And thinking of the days that are no more.

-Tennyson, 'The Princess'-

__

/9:30 AM Saturday/

Kagome yawned and stretched lazily as she struggled to adjust to the waking world when she heard a slight chuckle in front of her. She cracked one eye open, then the other before smiling.

"Good morning, Mr. Takamada. How did you sleep?"

Sesshoumaru watched her as she took in his form on the bed before her. He woke up an hour earlier than she, and decided to spend the time studying her. So he stretched out, propped his head in his hands, and watched her from the foot of his bed as he tried to decide if she would be a threat to him or not.

Sesshoumaru nodded as her eyes finally refocused on his face, and was startled by the intensity in the blue orbs.

"I slept fine. Nearly as good as you, if I do say so myself."

Kagome blushed, and sat up as Miroku walked into the room.

"Have you never heard of knocking?" he asked as Miroku sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Nah, not really. Hey Boss, why don't you take a shower. I'll look after Mr. Takamada until you get back."

Sesshoumaru shook his head, the low braid flopping to the side. "Not necessary." He turned to Miroku. "Could you bring her things in here?"

"For what?" Miroku asked.

"So that she may shower in my bathroom." Sesshoumaru nearly rolled his eyes at the scandalized look on Miroku's face.

"You want her to _move in_? Wow, that's fast."

"Shut up and do what he says," Kagome huffed as she tossed one of the easy chair pillows at his head. Miroku ducked and strolled out the room. Kagome shook her head at him before returning her attention to Sesshoumaru.

"Mr. Takamada, why do you want me to stay so close to you?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru stood up and walked to his closet. "Because you've proven to be effective. I only want the best if I'm to be protected."

"Oh," Kagome answered as Miroku dragged Kagome's luggage into the room. Sesshoumaru turned around and quirked an eyebrow.

"Is that it?" he asked as Miroku. Miroku nodded. "Yup, this is it. If only Sango packed as little. She brought at least five bags."

Kagome thanked Miroku and turned back to Sesshoumaru. "Where do you want me to put these?"

"In the closet beside the door."

Kagome nodded and hung up her clothes as Miroku kept watch in the easy chair. Sesshoumaru insisted that Kagome shower first, then went in after her. Kagome and Miroku stepped into the living room as Sango came into the room.

"Why are the three of you in here?" Kagome asked.

"Because the FBI are doing a sweep of the area," Sango answered. "So Mr. Hitame's safe for the moment. I want to ask you something."

"Shoot," Kagome said as she adjusted the red racer back tank top.

"Well," Sango started, ignoring Miroku completely as he made faces from behind Kagome's back. "What does you're dream guy look like?"

"This again," Kagome groaned as Miroku stared at them curiously. "What dream guy?"

"He has golden eyes," Kagome said, ignoring Miroku's question. "Long, sliver hair. I mean, _long _silver hair. It reaches his knees. Oh yeah, he has these really cool markings on his face."

"Markings?" Miroku repeated. Kagome nodded. "Yeah, a pair of purple stripes on each cheek and a blue crescent on his forehead."

"You know who that sounds like?" Sango replied as she sat down on the sofa. "It sounds like the taiyoukai your grandfather used to tell us about."

"What's a taiyoukai?" Miroku asked.

Kagome sighed and sat down beside Sango. "It means 'demon lord.' In the stories Grandpa used to tell us, a dog taiyoukai ruled the west and exterminated mikos with a vengeance. He hated all mikos, or that's what Grandpa said."

"Yeah," Sango interrupted. "We read some books inside Grandpa's library that said different. It was more like the mikos tried to exterminate him. He was only trying to defend himself, but he was rather ruthless about it. "

"So you're telling me," Miroku said as he sat down in the easy chair across from them. "That Kagome used to be a miko, and is dreaming about a miko-exterminator?"

"Shut the hell up, Miroku," Kagome groaned as Inuyasha walked in the door. He gave Kagome a shy smile as Sesshoumaru came into the room from his bedroom.

"Um, I need to pick up a suit," Inuyasha said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Kagome nudged her head at Miroku and Sango. "Bye."

"What do you mean 'Bye'?" Miroku said as Sango gathered her purse and headed for the door. Kagome smiled at him and motioned for him to follow Sango.

"You're going to drive."

"Awwwww!" Miroku whined as he followed Sango and Inuyasha out the door.

"Don't forget your shades!" Kagome called after them. Sesshoumaru watched them as they walked out the door. Kagome sighed and slid from the sofa to the floor, moving to a cross-legged position. She smiled up at him a moment before closing her eyes.

"I have work to do, Higurashi," Sesshoumaru said as he crossed the floor to the study. "You are aware, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Takamada sir!" she said with a salute. Sesshoumaru ignored this as he watched her a moment longer, then opened his study door and disappeared behind it.

/_10:05 AM_/

"Yes, I'm here to pick up a suit," Inuyasha said to blonde woman behind the counter of the men's clothing store.

"Name please?"

"Inuyasha Hitame."

She flips through the order book quickly, then comes to a stop by his name. "Ah yes, Mr. Hitame. The double-breasted, chocolate Kenneth Cole, correct?"

"That's right," he said as he watched Sango out of the corner of his eye. She fidgeted slightly, moving from one foot to the other as she waited for him to finish. The clerk nodded and walked through a door behind the counter that lead to the back of the store.

"Stop that," Inuyasha hissed as Sango swayed again.

"I can't help it! I don't like these places!" Sango answered back.

"Why?"

Sango shrugged. "I don't know. They just make me nervous." Inuyasha shook his head and walked away to look at a pair of shoes. Just as he turned around to walk back to the counter

BAM!

Inuyasha crashed into something…or someone. The collision barely phased him, but the girl lying on the ground obviously got the worse of things. Inuyasha stooped down to help her up as she attempted to gather the suit that fell from her arms.

"Thanks," she whispered as she reaches for a box of cufflinks. Inuyasha shrugged. "No problem. Can't you watch where you're going?"

The girl's head snapped up instantly, her sliver-gray eyes flashing angrily at him. "I didn't mean to run into you! It's not like I stood behind the counter saying 'Gee, here's a sucker! I'll run into him and knock myself down!' God, what a jerk!" She jerked the parts of the suit Inuyasha collected from his hands and attempted to pick up the rest before Inuyasha placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait a minute…don't be mad. I'm sorry." He helped her to stand and took the suit from her to drape over the counter. "It's my fault."

She smiled, brushing a chestnut lock out of her face as she held out her other hand. "How about we call it a truce?"

Inuyasha smiled and shook her hand. "Only if you go to dinner with me."

She blushed lightly, then turned to straighten the haphazard suit. "I don't know you're name."

"Inuyasha."

"Not Inuyasha Hitame?" she said with a squeak. Inuyasha nodded his head. "Yes, why?"

She finally put the suit back on the hanger, adjusted the plastic protector and handed it to him. "This is your suit," she groaned.

Inuyasha smirked and accepted it. "Thank you. Now about dinner?"

"You still want to go? Even after the mess I made of your suit?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Of course, as soon as you tell me your name."

She smiled slightly and handed him the box of cufflinks. "Katrina."

"Well, Katrina, how about Friday, say 7:00?"

"Friday's fine."

"Great," Inuyasha fished inside his jeans pocket for a business card and motioned for a pen. "Here's my office number and my cell phone number. Now what's yours?"

Inuyasha and Sango left the store after he and Katrina exchanged numbers and promised to call each other. Inuyasha groaned as he sat in the back seat of the limo with Sango and Miroku, placing a hand over his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha cracked an eye open and said "I don't know what to get her."

"Who?"

Sango explained as the driver pulled into traffic. Miroku looked at Inuyasha and smiled. "You need pointers, mate? I can give you a few."

"Oh no," Sango countered. "No way. You'll get him beaten up." She smiled at Inuyasha reassuringly. "I'll help you. Next stop, the mall!"

Inuyasha and Miroku groaned as the driver made his way to the local mall.

_11:00 AM_

'Wow, that was fast,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he turned the computer off. 'I didn't expect to finish the financial report so soon. That gives me time to think.' He turned away from the computer and moved to the recliner in the corner of the room.

'Now for the miko problem,' he said to himself as he placed a set of headphones on his ears. Sesshoumaru waited patiently for the music to begin and sighed in contentment when Mozart's Fifth Symphony swirled in his ears.

"Higurashi isn't aware of how powerful she is. She might be a threat, but she did save my life last night.' Sesshoumaru shivered in disgust. 'Protected by a human, and a female no less. I could break the girl in half with my right hand, and yet she manages to pierce through a silence spell and thwart a skilled assassin. Maybe there's more to the little thing than I thought.'

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end suddenly. Sesshoumaru ripped the headphones off and glanced at the door. An all too familiar purple glow came from under the door, seeping into the room like smoke. Sesshoumaru cursed, stood and opened the door carefully, then widened it. He stood in the threshold, his breath in his throat at the sight ahead of him.

Kagome sat, deep in meditation, as the purple energy swirled around her and into the living room. Objects on the coffee table nearest to her floated mere inches from their perches. Sesshoumaru cursed again as he thought about what to do.

'If I let this continue, she'll purify me,' he thought. Decision made; he streaked toward her, intending not to kill her but knock her unconscious. When only inches separated him from her face, the light changed to a soft pink. Sesshoumaru stopped beside her, blinking owlishly as a comforting wave of energy enveloped him. He visibly relaxed, sinking into the chair nearest her. The pink caressed his work-worn nerves soothingly, like a lover's embrace. Sesshoumaru mentally tried to shake himself out of it, but found the warm feeling hard to escape as he propped his elbow on the arm of the chair and rested his chin in the palm of his hand.

Kagome drew in a cleansing breath, then slowly drew the energy back inside her. The knick-knacks she unknowingly levitated returned to their glass table homes. She opened her eyes and gasped when her gaze fell on Sesshoumaru as he sat watching her.

"Welcome back," he whispered silkily, sending a shiver up Kagome's spine. She blushed slightly and thanked him.

"Sorry about that. Anything strange happen?"

"No. Just this pleasant feeling."

Kagome nodded and stood up. She stretched some before sitting in in the lounge chair nearest him.

"Tell me a little about yourself," Sesshoumaru said. Kagome twiddled her fingers a little, curious about the request.

"Why?"

"Curiosity. And I need to know a little about you, since you're my new assistant."

'Oh," Kagome nodded. She smiled suddenly and stood up. "You hungry?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I could stand for a meal. I'll call room service."

"You'll do no such thing!" Kagome cried. She grabbed his hand and lead him to the kitchen. She pushed him onto one of the bar stools overlooking the kitchen stove, then rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"This kitchen is fully stocked! I'll cook!"

"You can cook?"

Kagome huffed and opened one of the cabinets. "That shouldn't surprise you. I'm a girl, remember?"

Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. "My comment when you first arrived was unnecessary. I do apologize."

"I get the feeling you don't do that a lot," Kagome said as she filled a pot with water and placed it on the stove.

"I don't," he said absently as he watched her reach for a bag of rice in one of the high cabinets.

Sesshoumaru noticed for the first time since her arrival her shape as she fiddled for the illusive bag. He became distracted by the way her long, lean legs stemmed from the denim shorts, the way the shorts seemed to hug her hips and the flash of her lower back as the tank top rode up-

"Mr. Takamada?"

Sesshoumaru blinked, then turned to find Kagome staring at him. "Yes?"

"Help?"

Sesshoumaru fought a chuckle, but let a signature smirk show through as he stood up and entered the kitchen. Kagome pointed to the rice, then gave him a 'help-I'm-so-short' look. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, placed his hands on her waist and lifted her effortlessly toward her prize. When Kagome gave the signal, he slowly lowered her back to the floor. His hands lingered a little longer than necessary when she finally touched earth. Kagome blushed and cleared her throat, and Sesshoumaru let go and returned to his seat.

"What did you want to ask me?" Kagome asked as she poured the rice into the pot.

"Your name first."

"Kagome," she said before she turned around and searched another cabinet.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Where are you from?"

"Atlanta."

'OK,' Sesshoumaru sighed mentally. 'She isn't giving any extra information.' "Did you do any travel as a child?"

"Yeah, I visited my grandfather in the summers in Japan. I loved it there," she sighed wistfully, stopping mid-chop with a far-away look in her eye. Kagome sighed again and returned to her chopping.

"What I loved most was my training."

"What training?"

Kagome reached under the sink and pulled out a frying pan. "My grandfather taught me archery, how to use various blades, and how to be a miko."

"Miko?" Sesshoumaru said quizzically. 'Like I don't know,' he thought with a sly smile.

"Yeah," Kagome said nervously. "Um, it's like a magical priestess. Anyway, I stopped at fifteen."

"Why?" Sesshoumaru asked. Now this he was interested in.

"Um, not long after I returned from Japan that summer our house was robbed. It was one of those home burglaries, you know, where they aim to scare the living daylights out of the homeowner. Well anyway, my mom and I were the only ones home. My brother was at a friend's house, but he was too young to do anything anyway." She tugged on her ponytail nervously, seemingly for some sort of comfort. Sesshoumaru waited patiently for her to continue.

"They reached my mother first, then dragged her into my room." She gave a small laugh suddenly, shaking her head. "They scared me out of a dead sleep, and just in case you don't know, that's always a bad thing to do to a miko. When I woke up, I somehow raised a shield around myself. They tried to break through it, then finally settled for beating my mother. I tried to stop them, then tried to raise a shield around her, but nothing worked. A neighbor finally heard me screaming and called for help."

Kagome sighed and tossed something green into the frying pan. "I healed my mother's wounds after the police arrested them, but I couldn't heal her nose. It's twisted, and no amount of surgery can make it what it was. I decided then to become a police officer. It was through a stroke of good luck that I became a marshal."

"So you gave up on being a miko?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome reached inside a cabinet for a couple of plates.

"Yeah. I mean, what good is having a power that's only for youkai. They're only legends anyway. I needed something for humans."

"I thought mikos could defend themselves from both."

Kagome sighed as she spooned some rice on a plate. "Everyone but me. I never broke through my power."

"So you quit."

"Yeah," Kagome said as she handed him his plate. "I quit."

"You don't seem like a quitter," he muttered as she handed him a fork. Before Kagome could respond the front door opened with a bang and Miroku and Sango ran in dragging a confused Inuyasha.

"Kagome cooked? Yay!" Sango said as she sat down beside Sesshoumaru. Miroku shoved Inuyasha to a stool and sat down beside Sango.

"Food! Food! Food!" they chanted as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru looked on. Kagome shook her head and served them, then passed Inuyasha a plate as well. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru eyed the meal warily. It was some kind of risotto, with a leafy green stuff beside it. They glanced at Sango and Miroku, and after a few moments decided to try it. Inuyasha went first, taking a bite out of the risotto.

"Woah! This ain't bad!" he said before diving face first into the plate. Kagome giggled at his antics, then glanced at Sesshoumaru.

"What do you think?"

Sesshoumaru gingerly at a little of the risotto as well, and was pleasantly surprised. 'Not half bad,' he said as he tried the green stuff. 'A little spicy, but not bad either. Maybe she missed her calling.'

"Not bad."

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked between mouthfuls.

"The green, spicy stuff is arugula and the yellow stuff is saffron risotto with shrimp," Sango said. She slumped in her chair with a blissful sigh. "Ooooo…so good. Kago-girl, you're the best."

"You never tell me that," Miroku kidded with a pout, earning a slap upside the head in response. Inuyasha looked on as the two argued, while Kagome went on like usual.

"Your co-workers are…unusual, Kagome," Sesshoumaru told her, missing the strange look on Inuyasha's face. Kagome rolled her eyes and ate on the other side of the bar. The group exchanged a few stories about themselves as Sesshoumaru watched on. When they separated and Kagome walked out to the balcony, Sesshoumaru mentally praised the decision to keep her close to him.

'This little miko is different than her ancestors. She might make a good ally.'


	5. My First Day On The Job

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Five: My First Day on The Job

Obsession is born of the simplest of things;

a brush of a hand, a tinkling of laughter,

A raise of a brow, a gentle smile,

all these and more are enough to sow the seed.

-Anon.-

__

/8:30 AM Monday/

"I'm not comfortable in this Kagome," Sango groaned as she tugged on her skirt uncomfortably. "I mean, I'm just not a suit person."

"I'm not either, but we have to wear this to fit in, remember?" Kagome said as she sat down on the nearest couch. She, Sango and Miroku were in Sesshoumaru's living room, waiting for Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to finish dressing so they could accompany them to work. Kagome decided on a black, knee-length skirt with a small split in the back and a simple white blouse. Sango wore a navy skirt suit, and was currently grumbling about it.

Kagome sighed as she let her thoughts drift to last night's dream. "I wonder if I'm going crazy,' she asked herself as Sango slapped Miroku for trying to lift the back of her skirt up. 'I must be. Miroku's right, the dream is about the taiyoukai. But why would I dream about a youkai from so long ago? And a miko-killer at that?' Inuyasha stormed in the door, frantically trying to brush his hair and fix his tie at the same time.

He was failing miserably.

"Somebody help me," he whined. Kagome giggled slightly and stood up. Taking the brush from his hand, she slowly began to brush his hair as he struggled with the troublesome tie. When she finished she pulled it into a low ponytail at the base of his skull. Kagome stood back and surveyed her work.

"Not bad, since I'm too short to see the top of your head," she said with a smile. Inuyasha smiled back, but before he could respond someone cleared his throat. They turned to find Sesshoumaru standing in his bedroom threshold, glaring at Inuyasha coldly.

"Did you forget something?" he asked Inuyasha. Inuyasha shook his head. "No, I didn't."

Sesshoumaru nodded and walked toward the door. "Good. Let's go."

Kagome, Sango and Miroku exchanged confused glances as they followed the two to the elevator. Kagome decided that the elevator ride would be spent doing inventory.

"OK Miroku, do you have everything? Your shades, your two-way, the gumballs; everything?"

"Yes, Boss," Miroku sighed in exasperation. "There are even extra weapons inside the trunk of the limo."

"Weapons?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah, Sango's .44, my rifle and Boss' pump-action shotgun."

"Woah," Inuyasha breathed, staring in awe at Kagome. "Isn't that a rather large weapon for such a small woman?"

Kagome rolled her eyes, deciding to ignore that comment as she turned to Sango. "And you?"

"I have everything."

"Good," Kagome praised as she hefted the attaché to her shoulder. The elevator doors slid open and they walked through the lobby to the waiting limo. Once inside, with Miroku sitting up front with the driver, Sango and Kagome decided to quiz their new 'employers'.

"So what do we do exactly?" Sango asked as the limo pulled into traffic.

"You're just an intern, so you do whatever I say," Inuyasha said with an evil grin. Sango shuddered as Sesshoumaru explained Kagome 'position'.

"You do almost the same thing, except more on a personal level."

"A personal level?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru nodded. "What you did for Inuyasha this morning would be considered something an assistant would do."

"Or a chambermaid," Sango whispered with a snicker, thinking no one heard it. That thought was derailed when Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement.

"I agree with your analogy. That's why you won't do it again," Sesshoumaru said, darting a icy glare at Inuyasha.

Kagome and Sango exchanged another set of confused glances as they entered the office building. It was at least forty stories, made entirely of glass.

"This branch of WCT is called 'The Glass House'," Inuyasha whispered to Kagome and Sango as they approached the building. A doorman let them in, bidding Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha a pleasant morning as they moved through the lobby to the elevators. They went to the last floor of the building, where there were only two secretaries and two offices on either side of the hallway.

"Come with me, Kagome," Sesshoumaru ordered as he walked to the secretary on the left. She glanced up and smiled pleasantly as Sesshoumaru leaned over her desk.

"Any messages, Grace," he asked. Grace shook her head no. Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks then he and Kagome walked to her right down the hall to his office, leaving Sango and Inuyasha to their own devices.

Sesshoumaru unlocked the mahogany doors, and then turned one of the golden doorknobs and lead Kagome in. Kagome gawked much as she'd done when her and her friends boarded his plane. The black/white color theme was the same, with black leather chairs and white carpet and the gold-trimmed glass table beside a black chaise lounge. At the other end of the office was Sesshoumaru's desk, made of mahogany with a glass top. Kagome watched Sesshoumaru as he sat down behind the desk, turned on his computer and began typing, totally forgetting her.

"Um, what am I supposed to do?" she asked. Sesshoumaru stopped typing to address her.

"Ask me what I need."

"O….k…. What do you need?"

"A cup of tea," Sesshoumaru said as he turned back to his computer. "Green, with a drop of honey. Grace will show you to the break room."

Kagome nodded and did like he asked, and with Grace's help found the break room in record time. Kagome stood outside as she waited for the water heater to go off. An older gentleman adjusted his glasses as he slowly approached her.

"Hello miss. Are you lost?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, but thanks for asking. I'm the replacement for Mr. Takamda's assistant."

"You poor thing," he said as he walked into the break room. Kagome followed him, a quizzical expression on her face.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Mr. Takamada is said to be somewhat of a slave driver. You don't look upset though. Normally the temps are near tears by now."

"Who are you?" Kagome asked. The gentleman seemed shocked by her question, then fell into quiet chuckles.

"I didn't tell you that, did I? I guess my memory is falling in my old age." He held his hand out to Kagome, who shook it eagerly.

"I'm Myouga Kirosara, Mr. Hitame's personal assistant."

"Kagome."

"My pleasure, as always," Myouga said as he returned to his coffee. "I'm glad you're so nice. Mr. Hitame's new intern seems to be a spitfire."

"What do you mean?"

Myouga sat his coffee cup into the nearby sink and said before walking out the door "They've fought all morning. Can't you hear them?"

Kagome stuck her head out the break room and listened. Sure enough, she could hear Sango and Inuyasha practically screaming at each other like a pair of escaped mental patients. Kagome sighed in long suffering, pulled her shades out of her pocket and pushed the link to Sango.

"Sango!"

Sango stopped waving the stack of papers in her hand suddenly, a strange look on her face as she put them down and reached inside her pocket. She drew out the shades and put them on, ignoring Inuyasha completely.

"Yeah?"

"Stop it!" Kagome hissed. "I can hear you all the way from the break room!"

"But it's not my fault!" Sango countered. Inuyasha stopped shouting to look at her uneasily. 'She's talking to herself,' he concluded. 'She's so mad she's talking to herself.'

"If he had only said what kind of ink he wanted for this stupid report-"

"Stupid report!? Wench, that was the stock quote from Tokyo. Stupid woman!"

"Wench! Who are you calling a wench?"

"Enough!" Kagome hissed, breaking through the upcoming argument. "Sango, calm down enough to listen to me. " Sango nodded as she listened to whatever it was Kagome had to say.

"We're not actual office workers, remember?"

"I said that!"

"Let me finish! As I said, we don't do this normally, so try real hard to follow his lead. Mr. Takamada has me in the break room waiting on the water heater from the stone age to heat up so he can have a frigging cup of tea the old-fashioned way, but do you hear me complaining? Noooo! Want to know why? BECAUSE I DON'T CARE ENOUGH TO COMPLAIN!!!! JUST IGNORE HIM AND SHUT THE HELL UP!!!"

"Wow," Sango breathed as she gathered the messed up stock report. "You didn't have to be so mean."

"Yes I did. Try to behave Sango. If you can't, come to Mr. Takamada's office and we'll trade."

"OK," Sango said as she took off the shades. She smiled sweetly to Inuyasha and said

"Let's start over. Would you please explain this to me again?"

Kagome sighed as she returned the shades to her pocket. 'Why me?' she pondered as the water heater went off. She took one of the ornate porcelain cups from the shelf and poured the hot water into the cup. Adding a few leaves and few drops of honey, she grabbed a spoon and a saucer before returning to Sesshoumaru's office. Sesshoumaru barely glanced in her direction as she sat the cup down on one of the coasters on his desk.

He finally reached for the cup and took a sip. "Not bad," Sesshoumaru said as he sat the cup back down.

"What else?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru scribbled some directions on a scrap piece of paper and handed it to her.

"Take this to the 8th floor, to Mr. Sandaval's office. He'll know what you're there for. Bring it back to me."

Kagome nodded and waked out of the office to the elevator. As she pushed the button for the 8th floor, she found herself thinking about Sesshoumaru's hands. 'They look like he's actually worked in his life time,' Kagome thought as she fiddled with the piece of paper. 'Strong, yet delicate, like he might play the piano. And he's a leftie too. How interesting.'

__

/3:00 PM/

The rest of Kagome's day was spent running errands. She was slowly learning her way around 'The Glass House'. Plus, anytime she became lost some helpful soul turned her in the right direction. As of the moment, she was returning to Sesshoumaru's office with last week's safety report.

"I'm back," Kagome sang as she waltzed into Sesshoumaru's office, holding the vanilla envelope that held what he requested. Sesshoumaru glanced up and nodded.

"So it seems," he replied dryly as Kagome plunked the envelope in front of him. He handed her a legal pad and motioned for her to sit down.

"Can you take dictation?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome nodded as she reached for a pen from his desk.

"If working in a McDonald's drive-thru window for three winters counts as dictation, then yes."

Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow, trying to determine if she were serious or not. A smile graced her features, letting him know she was only kidding. Sesshoumaru brushed off the sudden urge to smile back.

"Ready?"

Kagome nodded. "Ready."

Sesshoumaru started to speak, watching Kagome as she scribbled whatever shorthand she used across the lemon yellow paper. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and she crossed her legs to brace the back of the pad on her knee. After a minute or two Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to her.

"Read it back to me."

"OK," Kagome said before she began. She read the pad, reading everything he said word for word.

Sesshoumaru nodded in approval. "It would seem your 'McDonalds' shorthand came in handy."

Kagome smiled back as he started the memo, watching in interest as Kagome wrote eagerly. A buzz on his intercom came a few minutes later.

"Mr. Takamada?" Grace said over the crackling system. Sesshoumaru motioned for Kagome to stop and answered her.

"Yes Grace?"

"There's a Mr. Tarentino here to see you."

Sesshoumaru groaned, his shoulders slumping slightly as he answered her. "Send him in."

Sesshoumaru restarted the memo yet again, watching the door as Mr. Tarentino came in. Dressed in a dark blue business suit, Mr. Tarentino seemed no younger than Inuyasha. His dark, shoulder-length hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and his light blue eyes scanned Sesshoumaru's office warily until they fell on Kagome.

Sesshoumaru could nearly feel the heat in Mr. Tarentino's gaze as he followed the flow of Kagome's legs to the split in her skirt. He finally glanced at her face, and his eyes widened in awe.

Sesshoumaru suddenly found the urge to knock Mr. Tarentino's teeth out.

Sesshoumaru stopped the memo and motioned for Mr. Tarentino to come closer. "What can I do for you, Mr. Tarentino?"

"Please," he said with a grin. "We're all friends here." He turned to Kagome and smiled, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it. "I'm Kouga. And who are you?"

"I'm Kagome," Kagome said as she tried to take her hand back. Kouga gave it one last kiss before letting go.

"What a beautiful name. It certainly matches the girl."

Kagome blushed as Sesshoumaru stood up. "I am sure you didn't come all the way up here to harass my assistant. What can I do for you?"

Kouga smiled back at Kagome before answering. "I'm up here because of the 'Employee of the Month' award."

"You don't need me for that. You're the head of employee services. I think you came up here to waste time."

Kouga raised his hands in defeat. "Alright. You caught me. I really came up here to see the pretty vixen you have working for you. Everyone in the building is talking about her."

He stooped down and brushed a stray strand from Kagome's face. "I wonder: are you as beautiful without the bun as you are with it?"

Before Sesshoumaru could berate him for such an insolent remark, Kagome smiled and said

"Isn't sexual harassment grounds for a lawsuit?"

Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked as Kouga paled. He stood back up quickly, apologizing to Kagome as she continued to smile.

"I'm sorry, Kagome! I didn't mean it like that! It's just that-"

"I think you'd better leave," Sesshoumaru replied as he opened the door. Kouga nodded earnestly and left, giving Kagome a last-minute wave before Sesshoumaru shut the door. Kagome instantly burst into giggles, dropping the notepad in the process.

Sesshoumaru picked up the notepad and handed it to her, motioning for her to get herself under control. He couldn't very well tell her that Kouga was a wolf youkai, and that he could probably hear her, could he?

"Come on. We'll finish this as I show you to the cafeteria."

He walked out the door as Kagome struggled to gather her things. She jogged up beside him, the notepad and pen in hand as they walked along.

"How am I supposed to see?" Kagome asked when they walked into the elevator.

"I will be your eyes," Sesshoumaru answered as the elevator stopped on the 5th floor. He started the memo again, and again Kagome took notes as she followed him. Sesshoumaru glanced around him as they entered the cafeteria, noticing the admiring stares from the males inside.

"Wow, look at her!"

"She's a hottie!"

"Yeah man, Mr. Takamada's so lucky! I'd love to have her at my beck and call!"

"Me too! I know of a few things she could do to 'assist' me!"

Sesshoumaru nearly growled at this as Kagome trudged behind him, unaware of the comments sent her way. Sesshoumaru decided he'd had enough of the cafeteria and headed for the stairway to the next floor. He stopped a few inches from the stairs, contemplating his reaction in the cafeteria.

'Why would I care what some horny human male says about her?' he asked himself as he continued the memo. 'I mean, Kouga was one thing, but this is another. I should want to wipe her from the face of the planet for the potential danger she might be, but instead I'm acting like a jealous teenager. I'm 1,400 years old for God's sake!'

Sesshoumaru glanced up when Kagome walked past him, still taking notes. Trusting Sesshoumaru when he said he'd be her eyes, she wasn't aware of the steps as she approached them. Sesshoumaru watched as she stepped on the top stair. One more step and she'd fall down the entire flight.

Sesshoumaru darted forward quickly, grasped Kagome's waist and caught her. Kagome abruptly stopped writing, blinking owlishly as she stared ahead. She gasped as she understood what Sesshoumaru stopped her from doing.

In a way, he'd just saved her life.

Sesshoumaru tugged her away from the stairs, enfolding his arms around her waist as he whispered "Are you alright?"

Kagome nodded absently, not noticing how close they were for the fall she nearly had. Sesshoumaru decided to use her distraction to study her. Pale, creamy skin seemed to contrast deliciously with the dark, silky tresses that were always pulled up in a ponytail or bun. He suddenly wondered something akin to what Kouga said earlier as he rested his chin on Kagome's shoulder and inhaled deeply. A mix of apple blossoms and thunderstorms flooded his nose, surprising him.

'Humans normally smell disgusting. Why doesn't she?' he asked himself as he inhaled again. Sesshoumaru noticed that Kagome was slowly coming out of her stupor. He released her gently before turning and opening the door to the previous floor.

"Let's go back to my office. We can finish the memo there."

Kagome nodded in agreement as she and Sesshoumaru returned to the elevator.


	6. What Dreams May Come

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Six: What Dreams May Come

__

The light that lies

In women's eyes

Has been my heart's undoing.

-Thomas Moore, 'The Time I've Lost in Wooing'-

__

/10:30 AM Tuesday/

O.O

"Mr. Takamada?" Kagome said as she peered inside Sesshoumaru's office. Sesshoumaru was asleep at his desk, his head cradled in his folded arms as they cushioned him from the hard glass.

"Mr. Takamada, wake up," Kagome said as she shook his arm. Sesshoumaru didn't budge.

'This might be serious,' Kagome thought as she shook him again. Again, he didn't wake up. 'I'd better get Sango and Mr. Hitame.'

O.O

"Um, Mr. Hitame?" Kagome said as she peered into Inuyasha's office, unknowingly derailing an argument before it left the station.

"Yes, Miss Higurashi," Inuyasha said. Sango scowled at him, but quickly forgot him for the worried look on Kagome's face.

"It's Mr. Takamada. He's asleep and I'm having trouble waking him up."

Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up behind his bangs. "You can't…wake him up?"

Kagome shook her head.

"Then I guess we'd better have a go, right Sango?" Inuyasha said.

'Fluffy's normally a light sleeper. Wonder what's wrong,' Inuyasha said to himself as Kagome lead them back to Sesshoumaru's office.

O.O

"See, he's not waking up," Kagome said as Inuyasha tried to wake Sesshoumaru for a third time. Inuyasha shrugged, then stopped completely as Sesshoumaru's scent changed. 'What the hell?' Inuyasha pondered as he turned to look at him. Inuyasha blinked, then fought back the ear-splitting laugh threatening to spill from his chest.

'Fluffy's gonna have a wet dream if he keeps this up,' he said as he watched Sango take a turn.

O.O

"Mr. Takamada?"

Sesshoumaru blinked in confusion as the voice called him again. He raised his head, only to stare directly into some lucky girl's shirt. Sesshoumaru blushed slightly, then tilted his head up. Kagome stared back, concern shining in her blue-gray eyes.

"Are you ok?" Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru sat back in his seat. He blinked again, staring around him, then at her as Kagome touched his forehead.

"No, he's not sick," Kagome reported to the other occupants in the room. Sesshoumaru looked around again, and nearly cursed when he found Inuyasha glaring at him. Sango stepped in his line of sight, a welcome relief from the pissed off younger brother.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Sango asked, she and Kagome watching him. Sesshoumaru nodded once, then ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, but it isn't necessary."

Inuyasha stood up suddenly, grabbed Sango and Kagome by the arm and nearly tossed them out the room. When they protested, Inuyasha gave them a slight smile and said

"Don't worry ladies. We'll be right out. My brother and I need to discuss some things."

With that he slammed the doors in their faces.

"We might have a problem," Kagome said as Sango nodded in agreement.

/_Sesshoumaru's Office/_

"What was that about, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked as Inuyasha stomped to his desk. Inuyasha shoved that question aside as he said

"I want to ask you a question. You gonna answer?"

"As truthfully as possible," Sesshoumaru said, even though he had a feeling what the question was.

"How long were you jealous of Kikyou and I?"

'Ok, that wasn't the question I was expecting.' "What are you talking about?" Sesshoumaru growled.

"You know what I'm talking about," Inuyasha snarled back. "Kikyou's been gone for seven years, then a girl that looks EXACTLY like her comes into my life and you decide I can't have her. Not only do you tell me to stay away from her, but you try to make the moves on her! So my question is: How long have you been jealous of Kikyou and I?"

"You're talking nonsense," Sesshoumaru said as he turned his back on Inuyasha to face the large window behind him. Inuyasha growled again, refusing to be ignored. He grabbed Sesshoumaru's shoulder and spun him around.

"I know you have the hots for her," Inuyasha growled, breathing in Sesshoumaru's face. Sesshoumaru calmed himself enough to keep from crushing his hand as he jerked it from his shoulder.

"You know nothing."

"You were dreaming of her, weren't you?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulders and flicked some invisible lint off his shoulder. "And what if I were?"

"Then you're wasting you're time. She's mine."

Inuyasha leaped over the desk, extended his claws and raked at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru's suit jacket fell to the floor in tattered pieces seconds later. Sesshoumaru glanced down at the remaining vest and white dress shirt, and growled viciously.

"You dare…" he whispered as his eyes changed from hazel to golden, and his short human nails extended into claws. Inuyasha's eyes lightened to an amber, answering Sesshoumaru's challenge.

"Well then, kid brother, if you insist," Sesshoumaru said with a nod for Inuyasha to begin. Inuyasha leaped forward claws first again, but this time Sesshoumaru dodged him, grabbed him by the collar and flung him across the room.

Wham!

Sango and Kagome looked at each other warily, then the door as another wham and a thud came from Sesshoumaru's office.

"You don't think they're fighting, do you?" Sango said nervously.

BAM!

Kagome and Sango jumped as the door shook under the force of whatever collided with it. Sango tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"I'm calling Miroku," Kagome said as she pulled out her shades.

"This is foolishness!" Sesshoumaru hissed as he dodged another wild swing from Inuyasha. Inuyasha ignored this as he tried again, but only succeeded in breaking one of the glass end tables.

"You're destroying my office over a girl!"

Sesshoumaru grabbed Inuyasha as he flew past again, propelling him into the door with a bam. Inuyasha slid back down to the floor, a lopsided grin on his face.

"You're just saying that because you know I'm gonna kick your butt."

Sesshoumaru scoffed lightly as Inuyasha stood up. "Really, Inuyasha. In all the years you've known me, have you really been able to 'kick my butt' as you say?"

Inuyasha growled and charged again.

"What's the problem?" Miroku asked as he stepped off the elevator.

"It's-"

BAM!

Everyone jumped at the newest abuse to the door. Miroku sighed and shook his head.

"I take it you can't get the door open."

"I tried, but it wouldn't budge," Sango said as Miroku pulled out his lock pick. "Did Kagome try?" he asked. Kagome shook her head no.

"Then try Boss. What's the worst that could happen?"

'What's the worst that could happen he says,' Kagome thought irritably as she reached for the doorknob. A sudden red burst of static electricity zapped her hand. Kagome yelped and jumped back, falling over and knocking Miroku down in the process.

"Sorry," Kagome said as she tried to get up. She felt something twitch on her backside suddenly. She glanced over her shoulder to find Miroku's hand on her rear.

"PERVERT!!" Kagome screamed as she whapped him upside the head.

'What was that?' Sesshoumaru wondered as Inuyasha leaped for him again. 'I could almost swear I heard someone shout the word pervert.'

"You're not paying attention, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha growled as he made another pass at Sesshoumaru's face. Sesshoumaru dodged and backhanded him easily.

"I don't have to. You're as foolish and slow as ever."

Inuyasha growled softly, the whites of his eyes bleeding red.

"Just get the damned door open, pervert!" Kagome yelled over Miroku's shoulder. Miroku fiddled with the lock a moment, then sighed.

"Sorry Boss. No can do." Miroku picked up his stuff and stepped aside. "Try again."

"Yeah, Kago-girl. Try again. Use that miko thing you do this time."

"I hardly doubt that this is a barrier spell," Kagome grumbled.

'What harm could it do?' Kagome asked herself as she closed her eyes to see the door through her mind's eye. The door in her mind blazed red, angry with an extreme power. Kagome reached out for the knob, her hand glowing purple purity. The instant she touched it the purple fiercely attacked the red, then won out as it overtook the red and turned the door a vivid lilac. Kagome opened her eyes slowly, surprised she could still do that as she walked to Grace's desk.

"Mr. Takamada's most important client! Now!" Kagome demanded as she glanced at her watch.

Noon.

'Perfect,' Kagome thought as Grace rattled off the name of something Kelson. Kagome nodded in thanks, then returned to Sango and Miroku.

"When I go inside-"

"How do you know you can get in?" Miroku interrupted. Sango whapped his head soundly. "Jerk! Go ahead Kagome."

"When I go inside wait five minutes, then follow me. I doubt I'll be in there for that long, but just in case." Kagome cracked the door open and disappeared inside.

Kagome stopped at the destruction around her. The office was completely ruined, the only thing intact was Sesshoumaru's desk and even that looked to be in shambles as Inuyasha stood in front of it. Sesshoumaru stood on top of it, watching Inuyasha warily.

Kagome gasped as she looked at his eyes, and all the color drained from her face as she looked away. When she looked back, Sesshoumaru was standing before her, watching her curiously as Sango and Miroku came in. Remembering what she planned, Kagome grabbed Sesshoumaru's arm and dragged him out of the office.

"Come on, Mr. Takamada! You forgot about your lunch with Mr. Kelson!" Kagome chirped brightly as she dragged Sesshoumaru to the elevator. Once inside, her legs gave up the struggle and dropped her to her knees.

'Oh my God!' Kagome thought as Sesshoumaru checked her over. 'There's no way I saw what I saw! Takamada didn't have gold eyes! He didn't!'

Kagome slowly recovered, the shock of what she'd seen slowly evaporating to reason. 'No,' Kagome told herself as she allowed Sesshoumaru to help her stand. 'That was just the sunlight. Of course Takamada's eyes aren't gold! That's so silly! Hazel is pretty close, plus the sun might have been in my eyes.' She smiled at him warmly.

'Besides, it might have just been the shock of seeing the mess they made of his office.'

Something in Kagome clicked as she remembered the free-for-all she walked into. Her warm smile turned into a frown as she brushed his hand away from her arm.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Yeah, as alright as can be expected. Especially when the two people myself and my fellow officers are risking our lives for are trying to _kill each other!_ What the hell happened?!"

Sesshoumaru leaned against the back of the elevator and ignored her.

"Don't ignore me, Takamada!" Kagome shouted as she jabbed her finger in his chest. "I want to know what just happened! One minute we can't wake you up, the next minute you and Hitame are fighting like it's pay-per-view!"

Sesshoumaru ignored her as the doors opened to the lobby. Kagome followed him out quietly, feeling to berate him in front of his employees would be rude for some reason. When the driver closed the limo door behind them, Kagome snapped.

"I said, what-just-happened?"

"None of your concern, I assure you," Sesshoumaru replied coldly, glaring daggers at her. Kagome reflected the icy stare with a heated one of her own.

"Everything you do is my concern! I'm not going to risk my life, nor the lives of those under my command because you want to be a jerk! I'm not having it! You can be a jackass if you want-"

Sesshoumaru interrupted her by pouncing on her, knocking her to the floor then pinning her wrists with his knees.

"You will refrain from the name-calling, _girl_," he hissed in Kagome's face. "You will respect me."

"Yeah right," Kagome countered, refusing to back down. "I'm not scared of you like everyone else. I can walk off the job today, and sue your stupid ass for this tomorrow."

"Why don't you then?" Sesshoumaru asked. He wrapped his fingers around her throat and squeezed slowly, watching as she struggled to breathe. "Why don't you quit and sue me? You've quit before, so I'm sure you remember how it goes."

"Go to hell, Takamada."

Kagome and Sesshoumaru glared at each other in silence for a few minutes, then Kagome whispered "You need me. I don't know why, but I think you need me."

__

"I want to take care of you, Mr. Takamada."

Sesshoumaru blinked, then released his hold on Kagome's neck. She gulped air in heavy gasps, the panting doing little for Sesshoumaru's emotional state. She continued to glare at him, but the glare faded to confusion as Sesshoumaru slowly trailed a finger down her throat to the collar of her blouse. His eyes returned to hers as he slowly returned to his seat. Kagome blinked at the ceiling, then returned to hers and stared out the window.

"It was only a minor disagreement," Sesshoumaru explained. Kagome whirled around, giving him her full attention as he explained.

"Inuyasha and I have always fought. It's the way we settle things. Or, the way he settles things. The janitors are used to the aftermath."

Kagome nodded mutely, then left him to his thoughts as she pulled her two-way out of her attaché. Before she opened it, she glanced at him and smiled.

"Thank you," she whispered. She returned to her two-way, missing the genuine surprise on Sesshoumaru's face as she paged Shippou.

Shoot, Kagome-mama! : )

Kagome smiled as she typed the message. Need info

She waited for him to respond as she watched the scenery go by.

On what? .

Kagome shook her head and sighed. Sesshoumaru Takamada. Duh

Sesshoumaru stared at Kagome in confusion as she typed on the pager. 'She thanked me for a useless piece of information. How trivial.' Sesshoumaru returned his stare to the outside as her clicking dominated the silence inside the backseat. He mentally sighed. 'She is much different than her ancestors. They wouldn't have thought twice about leaving me to whatever fate lay before me, yet I nearly kill her and she still wants to stay.' He finally spared her a glance, and found her shaking her head at something on the two-way screen.

'Why do I all of a sudden find her so endearing?'

I only have one thing of interest.

Kagome stretched lightly and reached for the bun at the nape of her neck. She typed her response as she pulled the first of many bobby pins out of her hair.

Give me what you have, Pup

Sure, hold on

Sesshoumaru watched, suddenly fascinated, as she slowly pulled a bobby pin from her hair, placing the restrictive object in her lap. Over and over, she slowly freed the tortured strands from their confinements. The first tendril leaped from the bun and cascaded over her shoulder, seeming to rejoice in its freedom as the sunlight captured it in an otherworldly glow.

'Absolutely stunning,' Sesshoumaru mused, feeling the hidden poet side of him taking over as Kagome began to type again.

'Hurry Shippou,' Kagome mentally rushed as she yanked another bobby pin free. The pager went off again and Kagome hurriedly read the message.

It's about Takamada's assistant, Rin Juku

I hate suspense Pup. Get to the point

Kagome sighed in relief as the entire bun fell apart at the last pin. She shook it loose so it could flow freely down her back, then ran her hand through it as she read Shippou's latest message.

Sesshoumaru gazed in admiration as Kagome's hair finally came free. It cascaded down her back and over her shoulders like a dark cape, framing her face in luminous waves. Her hair shifted in a curtain over her shoulder as she leaned over to read the pager.

'Maybe it would be in my best interest to keep her alive,' he thought as Kagome sighed.

Ok, Kagome-mama, here's the deal. Rin isn't just his secretary. She's his daughter

'Woah,' Kagome said as she typed her response. 'Sango was right. Favoritism isn't dead.'

What do you have?

Shippou responded faster than she thought he would.

Rin's parents died in a car crash when she was 4. She went mute afterward. She ran away from an orphanage in New York City at the age of 6. She was attacked in a subway and was taken to Mercy General, one of the hospitals Takamada's father owned. Takamada adopted her a few months later

'So that's why he was so willing for me to replace her,' Kagome thought as she typed her thanks. 'He doesn't want her involved in this.' She closed the pager and returned her gaze to the window to mule over this turn of events only to be interrupted by her forgotten charge.

"May I ask you something?"

Kagome blinked, then nodded.

"Why did you decide to become a marshal?"

Kagome turned to him fully and tried to read his face. The stoic expression was still there, but genuine curiosity flickered in his eyes.

"Because you don't have to be human to be protected."

"I don't understand."

Kagome sighed and placed the bobby pins in her attaché as she answered him. "I didn't like how mikos were only supposed to protect humans and exterminate youkai, no matter what the circumstances. I feel it isn't always black and white like that. I'm sure there were good and bad youkai, just like there are good and bad people. No one deserves to be slaughtered just because they're different."

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding as the car stopped. "You said something about lunch," he said as he extended a hand to help her out of the car. Kagome nodded and followed him inside the restaurant.


	7. Invitation to the Ball

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Seven: Invitation to the Ball

__

Then my boy, beware of Daphne.

Learn a lesson from a rat:

What is cunning in the kitten

May be cruel in the cat.

-R. U. Johnson 'Daphne'-

__

/4:45 PM Thursday, Sesshoumaru's Office/

Sesshoumaru spared Kagome a glance as she came into the room and sat down on the edge of his desk. He fought back flashes of last night's dream as she smiled down at him.

"You know, assistants don't sit on their boss's desk."

Kagome huffed her indifference. "Yeah well, this one does."

He finally turned to her, leaning back in his chair slightly. "You refuse to at least try to do anything normally, don't you?"

Kagome gave him a coy grin. "I'm not exactly normal, remember?"

Sesshoumaru nodded, moving to answer when Kagome paled. "What is it?" he asked, leaning to catch her as she slumped forward.

"I don't know," Kagome said as she tapped her stomach. "My spider-sense is tingling."

Sesshoumaru wanted to remind her of the movie she was quoting when he suddenly felt a dark aura approaching his office. He searched for it, and found it coming up the elevator. He turned back to Kagome and helped her stand.

"Can you function like this?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I should be able to if it comes down to anything." She grasped his arm suddenly. "Trouble's coming, isn't it?"

"I don't know, but I don't want you to say a word. Don't give him your name and stand by my desk."

Kagome opened her mouth to protest, but closed it at the seriousness in his expression. She nodded and stood still while Sesshoumaru called Inuyasha's office.

"Yeah?"

"Bring Marshal Taijia and come here. He's back."

"Shit."

Click

Inuyasha and Sango walked in seconds later. Inuyasha sat down in one of the chairs in front of Sesshoumaru's desk as Sango took up her place beside the door. She turned to Kagome worriedly.

"Are you ok?" Sango asked as Sesshoumaru's secretary buzzed his office. Kagome nodded. "Yeah. I think so."

"Your spider-sense, huh?"

"Times one thousand."

Kagome didn't get to say anything more as the doors opened and a young man came into the room. He seemed a tad sick, with pale features and long, black hair. He smiled at Sango, then Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru before his gaze turned to her. His eyes seemed to glow at the sight of her, and he moved to touch her when Inuyasha stood between them.

"What do you want Jinsue?" Inuyasha demanded. Naraku glanced behind him to Kagome, ignoring Inuyasha completely.

"Who is the lovely creature?" he purred, his gaze making Kagome's hair stand on end. The butterflies didn't like him either, if the intense fluttering in her stomach had anything to say about it. Kagome refused to show a sign of weakness by putting her hand to her stomach to calm them down. She decided to ride them out until he left, then she'd make Sango stay while she meditated in the bathroom.

Sesshoumaru nudged her past Naraku toward Sango, gesturing for her to stand beside the door. Kagome obliged gratefully. "She is my assistant and no concern to you," Sesshoumaru stated coolly, returning to his seat behind the desk and motioning for Naraku and Inuyasha to do the same.

"Why are you here, Mr. Jinsue?" Sesshoumaru asked politely, mentally fighting the urge to rip Naraku in half at the way he kept looking back at Kagome.

"Oh, that," Naraku said as he turned around. "I'm here to give you one last chance to sell me your company."

"The last time you were here, you were shot down!" Inuyasha yelled. "What makes today any different?"

"Today is special," Naraku said as he reached inside his suit jacket. Sango and Kagome tensed, ready to tackle him at a moments notice when Naraku pulled out three envelopes.

"These are invitations to a ball I'm having next Wednesday. It's for a very good cause."

"What cause?" Inuyasha asked as Naraku placed the envelopes on Sesshoumaru's desk.

"It's to let the people I'm buying out know that they're leaving their life's work in good hands."

"That's a joke," Inuyasha countered.

"Be that as it may, I would like for you to come. There are three invitations, so bring who you like. All say to bring an escort." He stood up and walked toward the door, stopping before Kagome.

"Who are you?" he asked her.

"Mr. Takamada's personal assistant," Kagome answered. Naraku chuckled darkly. "So Takamada's trained you well. I think when I buy this company, you'll become my assistant."

"I'm not selling," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "We will attend this ball, but you already know my answer."

"I think that will change," Naraku purred as he ran a finger over Kagome's arm. "I think he'll change his mind, don't you love?"

"Get your hands off me," Kagome hissed, her breath coming in short pants at his touch. Naraku smiled and tapped her nose.

"Yes, you and I will get along just fine. Goodbye Mr. Takamada," he called as he left the office. Inuyasha swore as soon as the door closed, with Sesshoumaru in secret agreement.

"Filthy bastard! Low down, rotten, son of a b-"

"Kagome!" Sango gasped.

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru whirled around to see a semi-conscious Kagome sliding down the wall to the floor. Sango stopped her rapid descent and braced her against her shoulder.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha asked as Sango gently rocked Kagome back and forth.

"Its her spider-sense," Sango explained, further confusing Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru said nothing as Sango rested Kagome's hand on her stomach and coached her.

"Purge Kago-girl. Come on, purge it out."

"What in the hell are you babbling about?" Inuyasha demanded as he crouched down beside her.

"Kagome can sense and absorb auras, and when someone with a dark aura tries to infect her with theirs it makes her sick. Her spider-sense detects it and other dangers so she can be ready to defend herself. Apparently Jinsue's aura was too much for her to handle."

Sesshoumaru processed this quickly as he observed Kagome's aura. Just as Sango said, the pink and baby blue in it was slowly being overrun by a foul black smoky-like substance, what he knew to be Naraku's miasma.

"I would suggest you two move back," Sango said as Kagome's hand started to glow a dark purple. "Its pretty weird for people who've never experienced this."

Inuyasha stepped back to Sesshoumaru's desk instinctively, but Sesshoumaru stayed where he was on Sango's right. Sango shrugged. "Suit yourself, but I hope you don't have youkai in your family."

The purple glow spread from Kagome's hand to her stomach, then engulfed her and Sango in a violet cloud. Little swirls of energy flowed through the floor and flickered at Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's feet, lapping at them like hungry dogs. Inuyasha leaped on Sesshoumaru's desk while Sesshoumaru held firm. Inuyasha shot Sesshoumaru a concerned glance before the stapler on Sesshoumaru's desk floated between his legs. He yelped in surprise as other objects started to float around them.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha mouthed to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru pressed a finger to his lips and smiled.

"Watch," he mouthed back as the purple cloud around Kagome and Sango turned pink. Where the purple oozed out, the pink rushed as it flowed over the entire office, bathing all in a pink light. Inuyasha froze in fear then relaxed as the pink soothed him, cradling him like a small child in his mother's arms. He dropped down from Sesshoumaru's desk to one of the chairs, sinking heavily with a blissful smile on his face. He watched as the same seemed to happen to Sesshoumaru, but he simply sat down without the smile and watched as Kagome opened her eyes.

"Are you guys ok?" Kagome asked as the pink receded back inside her. Inuyasha nodded sleepily. "Yeah," he drawled. Kagome giggled as Sango helped her to her feet.

"Our main concern at the moment is you," Sesshoumaru told her as she and Sango sat down in two chairs beside him.

Kagome blushed. "I'm fine. Sorry about that."

Sesshoumaru waved off the apology as Inuyasha said "Well, there's no way we can go to Jinsue's ball now."

"Why not?" Sesshoumaru asked. Inuyasha grinned triumphantly. "Because if we do, Marshal Higurashi will get sick! It's perfect! I didn't want to go any-fucking-way."

"We're still going," Sesshoumaru informed him.

"WHAT?! What for?" Inuyasha thundered, standing up and leaning over him.

"Because Higurashi will be able to handle it, right?"

Kagome nodded weakly. "Yeah. Don't worry Mr. Hitame, I'll be fine."

"Fine?! Did she say FINE?" He moved from Sesshoumaru to Kagome as he ranted like a spoiled child. "You nearly FAINT from a mere touch and you say you'll be FINE?!!!"

"I'm a professional," Kagome said as she stood up. "And if Mr. Takamada says we're going and I don't see a problem with it, then we're going."

"Are all women so stupid, or is it just you?"

"Now wait just a d-"

"Enough!" Sesshoumaru shouted, raising his voice for the first time in a _long_ time. He turned to Inuyasha, his gaze irrefutable as he said "We are going and that is that. I'm tired and I want to relax. Going back to the hotel seems to be in order, don't you think?"

Inuyasha nodded dumbly as Kagome and Sango agreed. Inuyasha escorted them to the door and assured them that he and Sesshoumaru wouldn't fight this time as he closed it.

"Why were you so calm?" Inuyasha asked as Sesshoumaru packed his briefcase.

"I don't fear a half-trained miko," Sesshoumaru said as he moved past Inuyasha to the marshals in the hallway. As Inuyasha trudged along behind, he noticed how close Sesshoumaru stayed to Kagome.

'Maybe,' he thought as they boarded the elevator. 'Just maybe, Sesshoumaru wants to protect her. I've only seen him act that obsessive over Rin.' Inuyasha smiled suddenly, spooking Sango as she moved by his side.

'Or maybe ol' Stick in the Mud's in love.'

__

/7:00PM/

Kagome ran her fingers through her hair again, making sure to wash the shampoo out of her hair before reaching to turn the shower off. As she dried, she sighed heavily.

"I'm bored. I need something to do."

Then she remembered something Miroku said about there being a pool somewhere in the hotel.

"I wonder if Takamada would like to go for a swim. Only one way to find out." Kagome stuck her head out of the bathroom door, making sure to keep her body behind the door as she searched the bedroom for him. "Mr. Takamada?"

"Yes," he said as he came into the room. "What can I help you with?"

"Um, I'd like-"

"I can't hear you for the shower fan," Sesshoumaru 'informed' her before Kagome went any further. She blushed slightly. "Hold on a second," she said as she disappeared behind the door. Sesshoumaru smiled then stood before the bathroom door and waited for her. Kagome came back out with one of the hotel towels wrapped around her torso, the damp cloth barely reaching her upper thigh.

"Um, I was just wondering, would you like to go for a swim? I'm totally bored and I need the exercise anyway."

"Well," Sesshoumaru said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I guess it would be alright for you to swim. I will read until you're finished."

The sparkle that lit up in her blue eyes was something he expected, but the hug she spontaneously gave him wasn't. Kagome blushed when she realized what she did, darted to her closet for a small duffle bag, and ran back into the bathroom. Sesshoumaru looked down at the Kagome-sized damp spot on his shirt and the front of his pants. He smirked and sat down on the bed until she came out again, which she did a few minutes later wearing an oversized Atlanta Braves jersey. Sesshoumaru watched her silently as they entered the elevator before deciding to rile Kagome up.

"Atlanta Braves, huh?" Sesshoumaru said with a quirked brow.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"You know they suck, right?"

Kagome's eyes widened, then narrowed in anger. "No they don't suck!"

"Yes they do," Sesshoumaru countered. He was beginning to enjoy this, even though it reminded him of the way five-year-olds fight.

"No they don't!" Kagome hissed, poking her finger in his chest hard enough to leave a bruise. "What do you know anyway! Do you even _watch _baseball?"

"No, I don't."

"Then how can you say they suck?"

"Easy. Like this: They suck."

"grrrrrrrrrr" Kagome growled as she fisted her hands by her sides. "You don't know a thing. You don't even watch sports."

"Golf is a sport," Sesshoumaru said. Kagome rolled her eyes. "No its not! Golf is watching the grass grow with a tire iron."

"Then what do you consider sports?" he asked. Kagome leaned against the elevator wall irritably. "Duh. Football, baseball, and soccer, to name a few."

"What's your favorite football team?"

Kagome smiled brightly. "The Dallas Cowboys!"

"The Dallas Cowboys?" Sesshoumaru repeated before bursting into a fit of chuckles. Kagome watched him, totally astounded for a moment before she realized what he said.

"There is nothing wrong with the Dallas Cowboys!" she said as they left the elevator and made their way to the indoor pool.

"You're right," Sesshoumaru said, trying to soothe her slightly to only be baited again. "If you think not winning a game since God knows when as nothing wrong!"

"They have **too** won a game!" Kagome cried as they opened the doors to the pool. Once inside, Kagome forgot their quarrel as she looked around in wonder. "Wow, how pretty," she whispered as Sesshoumaru lead her inside.

The pool was Olympic-sized, with pale green and white checkerboard tile around the pool, with two separate doors that lead to the men's and women's locker rooms. Sesshoumaru didn't find the room as amazing as Kagome did as he sat down in one of the many lounge chairs.

'Its nothing like the pool I have,' he griped as he followed Kagome's glance to a nearby wall. 'OK,' he thought as Kagome plunked her duffle bag inside the chair beside him. 'I don't have that.'

The that he was speaking of was an 8' piece of glass in the side of the wall. It showed the bottom of the outdoor pool above them, and Sesshoumaru could see the tunnel in the bottom of the indoor pool that lead to the outside.

Kagome shrugged out of the jersey and moved to the side of the pool. "Are you sure you don't want to swim?" she asked Sesshoumaru as she kicked off her flip-flops.

"I'm-" Sesshoumaru stopped when he finally looked at her, mentally cursing himself for being so susceptible to the officer's charms as he stared at her.

"Well," Kagome said irritably, placing her hands on her hips. "Are you going to answer me?"

"No," Sesshoumaru said, shaking his head and picking up his book. "I think I'll read instead."

"Ooo…what are you reading?" she asked as she moved closer. Sesshoumaru mentally blocked out the whispering sound the corduroy boy shorts made as Kagome walked closer to him. She leaned over and tipped the book up so she could see the title.

"Wow, 'The Green Mile'," Kagome said approvingly. "Good choice."

"You've read it?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome nodded. "Yeah, but its not as scary as some of the other ones. Have you read 'The Jaunt'?"

"No," Sesshoumaru answered as Kagome returned to the poolside, watching as the ties to the navy blue halter top swung behind her.

"You should. Its really good. 'Rose Madder' is too."

"An avid Steven King fan, I see," Sesshoumaru said absently as Kagome sat down and dipped her legs into the water.

"Cold! Uh, yeah, I am. I like Dean Koonts too. You should try him sometime," Kagome said before she slid underwater.

'Maybe I should,' Sesshoumaru thought as he watched her swim from behind the book. Kagome swam on the water's surface for a while, then dived underwater. Sesshoumaru left the book for another time as he moved to the pool's edge to see better. Kagome swam in graceful curves and lines, seemingly like the friendly water nymphs that used to frequent the waters in his childhood. She looked up and waved at him before she disappeared inside the underwater tunnel.

Sesshoumaru stood and walked to the glass, watching as she appeared in the outdoor pool. The scrunchie that was in her hair was now around her wrist, allowing her hair to swirl around her in a dark cloud. She swam toward the surface, leaving Sesshoumaru with a full view of her legs.

Kagome tensed suddenly, and placed her hand on her stomach. Enough times watching this let Sesshoumaru know that something was amiss as she dived backward and made her way back to the tunnel and the indoor pool. Kagome emerged in the center a few minutes later, pale as a sheet as she waded toward him. She smiled sweetly in spite of this, and reached for him as she stopped at the edge of the pool.

Sesshoumaru kneeled before her, sending an inquisitive glance in her direction. Kagome answered by raising her hand from the water to the back of his neck, making small circles at the base of his skull. He relaxed and closed his eyes a moment before opening them again. Kagome tugged his head forward slightly, a silent plea for him to come closer. Sesshoumaru complied willingly, lowering his head so they were a mere breath away from each other.

"We're being watched," she whispered against his lips, watching a spot in the glass ceiling above him. Sesshoumaru shuddered slightly from the contact, but heeded her warning as she draped her arms around his neck.

"I'd get rid of the shirt if I were you," Kagome whispered as she snapped open the sheath on her arm.

Sesshoumaru did as she suggested, wondering to himself why he was actually obeying her as he tossed it to his chair behind him. He could tell Kagome had a plan as he followed her lead and brushed his lips against hers. She continued to watch the ceiling as he caressed her face.

"Can you swim?" Kagome asked as she unsheathed one of the daggers. Sesshoumaru nodded, thoroughly lost to anything but her in spite of the danger around them. He could feel the presence of another, but trusted Kagome's way of doing things for some reason.

The ceiling suddenly exploded above them. Kagome quickly tossed the palmed dagger at the light switch, shorting every light in the room. She jerked Sesshoumaru into the pool with a splash and lead him to the bottom.

"Are you alright?" she mouthed to him. Sesshoumaru nodded, releasing her from his arms. She swam toward the surface, and would have disappeared fully if Sesshoumaru were a mere human. He shifted to his youkai senses immediately, and watched as her aura reached for something by the pool's edge. Kagome returned to his side moments later. She grasped his hand in hers and lead him through the tunnel to the outdoor pool's surface.

"You stay here," she puffed as she thumped her duffle bag on the poolside, never turning to look at him as she continued her instructions. "Don't get out of this pool until I come back." Sesshoumaru nodded as she pulled two Glocks from the bag's depths and dived underwater. Sesshoumaru dived as well, watching as she disappeared into the tunnel.

A figure on the other side of the wall dropped from the ceiling to the floor on a dark cloud. It looked around, then smiled as it noticed Sesshoumaru in the other pool. It approached him slowly, the smile widening to a grin as it tapped the glass.

"Well, hello Lord Sesshoumaru," he said. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into golden slits.

"Hello, Hiten," Sesshoumaru mouthed. Hiten bowed in mock reverence. Behind him, Sesshoumaru could see Kagome emerge from the tunnel and make her way to the pool's edge.

"Have you nothing to say?" Hiten jeered as Sesshoumaru glared at him. Lightening flashed across the sky above him, a sure sign that Hiten's power was charging up. Hiten shrugged as Kagome came out of the pool behind him. She walked behind him quickly and quietly as Hiten's eyes leaked electric ki. "Bye-bye doggie," he said as he reached for the glass.

Kagome pressed the tip of the guns into his shoulder blades before he could reach it. "Hold it right there," she said. "Back away from the glass."

Sesshoumaru watched as Hiten raised his hands and did as she said, backing away from the glass slowly as Kagome read him his rights. 'No!' Sesshoumaru mentally ordered as Hiten turned around. 'Shoot him! Stop playing and shoot him!'

Hiten turned around, and nearly died laughing at the small young woman behind him. "You think you can stop me," he asked as he calmed down.

"I can try."

"Not today," Hiten growled as the sky lit up again. In the brief light, Kagome gasped as his eyes glowed bright red.

'What's going on?' Kagome asked as panic began to spread in her mind. 'There's no way his eyes are glowing, there's no way! What is he!?'

Sesshoumaru inwardly cursed the wide-eyed terror in Kagome's expression. He dived just as Hiten moved to hit her. Kagome jumped back, raised both guns and started shooting. Hiten jerked and shuddered under the assault, but still made his way to her. 'I'm as good as dead,' Kagome thought as she continued to pull the triggers. 'I've got to keep him away from Takamada until help arrives.'

Sesshoumaru emerged from the pool just as Hiten grasped Kagome by the throat. He instantly sliced one of the metal fan blades from the ceiling with his energy whip, grasped the makeshift weapon in his hand and severed Hiten's head. He fell to the ground, and Kagome fell back into the pool. Sesshoumaru reached in and dragged her out moments later. He held her as the emergency lights came on, willing his human features back as she shuddered against him.

"Are you alright?"

Kagome nodded. "What happened?" she asked as she huddled closer to him.

"One of the ceiling fan blades-"

Kagome's gasp interrupted him. He looked down at her, then at what she was apparently looking at, and mentally groaned. Hiten's head was facing them, and the red from the emergency lights seemed to make his eyes glow angrily. Kagome shuddered violently as one single thought raced through her head.

'He was a youkai! Grandpa was right!'

Sesshoumaru gently lead her to one of the pool chairs, watching as she slowly went into shock. 'Is she not used to seeing blood by now?' he wondered as he closed Hiten's eyes. Sesshoumaru mentally scolded himself as he glanced back at Kagome's shaking form.

'She's thought of youkai as only a myth until now,' he reminded himself as the pool doors burst open. Sango and Miroku ran into the room, with Inuyasha and the FBI close behind.

"What happened?" Miroku asked as he and Sango dropped to their knees in front of Kagome. Kagome continued to stare ahead blankly, her breath coming in short pants. Sango attended to Kagome while Miroku and Inuyasha turned to Sesshoumaru.

"We were attacked," Sesshoumaru said simply, flicking a piece of glass off his shoulder. "Kagome tried to shoot him. The shot went wild and nicked a fan blade. Thus, it came down and he was beheaded. A fitting end, if I do say so myself."

"That doesn't sound right," Sango disagreed. "Kagome's a marksman. She could shoot a flea dead in the eye at 50 yards. There's no way she miss-fired."

"You were not here so you don't know," Sesshoumaru countered, his eyes narrowing fractionally. Sango waited until the FBI dragged the body out to argue with him again.

"No, you don't know! Kagome won a gold metal at the Olympics! She's beaten grown men who've had at least thirty years of experience in a single shot! For her to miss is for Hell to freeze over! You're lying, and I want to know why!"

Sesshoumaru nearly lost his control, but regained it when Kagome's aura flashed dangerously. He and Inuyasha watched as it flashed again and again, each flash reaching closer and closer to them. Sango gasped and reached for Kagome, only to have Kagome's aura blast her away.

'She's going to lose control and hurt someone,' Sesshoumaru realized. Deciding against the obvious solution; which would be to kill her; Sesshoumaru reached out and touched Kagome's shoulder.

Instead of being forced away, her aura glimmered into submission and Kagome fainted. Sesshoumaru pondered this as he scooped her up. Instructing Miroku to drape his forgotten shirt around her and insuring her friends that Kagome would be fine after some rest, Sesshoumaru left the pool and went to the elevator.

As it lifted them to their floor Sesshoumaru stared down at Kagome in something akin to wonder. 'I think her powers are awakening. She's breaking through, but why can't I be affected?' Sesshoumaru shrugged and smirked arrogantly. 'Well, as someone once said: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. This might be useful, since Jinsue is sending youkai after me.' Kagome stirred in her stupor, attracting Sesshoumaru's attention. She snuggled closer to his chest and sighed under the warmth.

Sesshoumaru opened the door to his room and walked inside, shutting the door quietly before making his way to his bedroom. As he crossed the threshold and held Kagome over the easy chair, he shook his head and made his way to the bed. He shoved the covers to the side and laid Kagome down. Sesshoumaru made sure she had dried off before draping the covers over her and sitting down in the easy chair. 'Tonight I'll watch her,' he decided as he turned off the lights. 'It is only fair.' He shirked off his human attributes, leaned back against the chair and smiled, his fangs glistening in the moonlight.


	8. Blind Date and How to Wake a Miko Withou...

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Eight: Blind Date and How to Wake a Miko Without Getting Killed

__

I expect that woman will be the last thing civilized by man.

-George Meredith, 'The Ordeal of Richard Feverel'-

__

/2:45 AM Thursday/

Sesshoumaru watched in mild concern as Kagome tossed in her sleep. He could hear her muttering something but couldn't make it out what she was saying, even in his humanoid form.

He left the easy chair and moved to her side of the bed, but still he couldn't hear her. He could tell that something bothered her, and was tempted to wake her until she sighed and rubbed her cheek against his pillow. Kagome then grabbed it and wrapped herself around it, sighing happily before falling back into slumber. Sesshoumaru shook his head in amusement and reached down to brush aside a stray hair on her face. Kagome leaned into the touch and whimpered when he pulled away.

Sesshoumaru pondered this strange reaction, especially when one of his claws grazed her skin when he did it again. He allowed his fingers to rest on her cheek for a moment before he decided to return to the easy chair. As Sesshoumaru lifted his hand, Kagome grabbed it, then opened her eyes. Sesshoumaru stood completely still as she stared at him, wondering what was so interesting about his face.

'Oh…I forgot. I'm in my humanoid form now,' Sesshoumaru reminded himself as he ran his tongue along a fang. He smirked down at her, knowing the effect the moonlight would have on his features and markings. Instead of a scream like he expected, Kagome kissed the palm of his hand.

"There you are," she whispered sleepily. "I was almost beginning to worry about you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as she slipped back into dreamland, waiting until then to slip his hand out of her grasp and return to his chair.

'I will have to ask her about that in the morning,' Sesshoumaru concluded as he resumed watching over her.

__

/2:05 PM/

Kagome sighed as she emerged from her dream. 'I could almost swear he was real this time,' she thought as she touched her cheek. 'Almost, but not quite. You really are going bonkers, Kago-girl.' She rolled onto her back, noticing for the first time that she wasn't in her chair, but in a bed. 'Wonder how I got here,' she pondered as she scratched her neck.

It was then that she noticed the halter top she had on last night was gone.

Kagome hurriedly glanced to her side and breathed a sigh of relief when she found herself in bed alone. 'Well, there goes that theory, thank God,' Kagome said as she reached for the clock on the nightstand. As she did so, she glanced at her hand, and was surprised again when she didn't see her hand at all. Instead, she found a dark green sleeve that was at least three sizes too big…

And obviously belonged to a man.

'Guess I shouldn't have dismissed that theory so quickly.'

Kagome gasped as she sat up, tugging at the shirt desperately. "Where is my bathing suit top?" she whispered.

"Your second in command, Sango, removed it last night," Sesshoumaru said as her head jerked up. She gasped again, clutching the shirt closed and blushing furiously.

"Um, sorry Mr. Takamada. I overslept and you missed work. You must think I'm so unprofessional. I didn't mean-"

"I don't want to hear it," Sesshoumaru said as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Kagome stared silently as he patted her knee through the covers. "You were tired and if I really wanted to go to work I would have woken you up or gone with Houshi as my assistant. That is twice you've saved my life."

"More like the law of gravity saved your life," Kagome grumbled as she swung her legs from under the blankets, keeping her lap covered. Sesshoumaru chuckled quietly at her distress.

"You are still wearing the shorts."

Kagome blinked, then peeked under the blankets. Sure enough, there were the corduroy shorts. Kagome crumpled backwards in relief, earning another chuckle from Sesshoumaru.

"Is the idea of being nude in my bed that disturbing?" he asked innocently, watching as Kagome's cheeks turned pink. She glared up at him, frowning at the amusement in his eyes.

"That wouldn't be professional," she said as she sat up. "After all, relationships between officers and their charges only complicate things."

"Who said anything about a relationship?" Sesshoumaru countered, inwardly wondering why her saying that managed to irk him. "It would be common sense to remove a wet bathing suit before putting you into bed. After all, the mattress would never dry."

Kagome blushed further as Sesshoumaru got up and walked to the door. He looked over his shoulder, the small smile on his face hidden by his loose, blonde hair. "Don't look like that. I want to watch a movie. Know of a good one?"

Kagome jumped up instantly, a bright smile on her face. "Yeah! 'Blood Moon'!"

"Huh?" Sesshoumaru replied in a very un-Sesshoumaru-like response.

"You've never heard of 'Blood Moon'?" Kagome gaped at him in horror. Sesshoumaru shook his head no.

"You poor man!" Kagome chirped as she grabbed his hand and practically dragged him into the living room. "Where's the TV?"

Sesshoumaru totally missed her question as he wondered why it felt so…good to hold her hand. His hand seemed to engulf hers, leaving her to grasp his pinky finger like a child. He finally heard her question and reached on one of the coffee tables for a remote. He pointed it toward one of the walls, and Kagome watched as a panel of the wall slid back to reveal a large flat-screen TV.

Kagome looked back at him and grinned. "That's so cool!" she cooed.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, finding her amazement as amusing as everything else about her. "What is 'Blood Moon'?"

Kagome blinked, then smiled again. "Oh yeah! I was explaining that, wasn't I?" Sesshoumaru fought the urge to roll his eyes as she continued. "It's a martial arts moving starring Gary Daniels."

"Who?"

Kagome exhaled sharply. "Gary Daniels! You've never heard of him?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head no. Kagome leaned over the table and opened the TV guide. She held her hair back as she read, missing the adoring look on Sesshoumaru's face. 'That shirt could be a dress for her,' Sesshoumaru mused as Kagome shoved the sleeves back. 'It makes her look like she's…mine.' He nearly smiled, but squashed it when Kagome turned to him.

"Geez. Oh well." She grabbed the remote out of his hand and pointed it at the TV. "Let's see if we can find it!"

"Maybe you should take a shower first. Plus, I would like my shirt back."

Kagome blushed, then ran to the bathroom. A few minutes later she was back, wearing a pair of white shorts and a pink spaghetti-strap tank top. By then Sesshoumaru found the movie she suggested, and was already sitting down with a bowl of popcorn. Kagome plunked down beside him, and together they waited for the movie to start.

By midnight, they'd seen at least three Gary Daniels films.

__

/8:20 PM Inuyasha's Date/

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" Inuyasha asked Katrina over dinner. "I've never seen that movie before, so I apologize if you didn't like it."

"It was great!" Katrina chirped, lightly patting his hand. "I've wanted to see '28 Days' for the longest!"

"Me too!"

They both fell back into silence as they ate.

"Man, that guy's worse than I am," Miroku grumbled as he and Sango watched Inuyasha and his date. "I mean, he hasn't tried to feel her up yet."

"Not all guys are as perverted as you," Sango replied dryly. Miroku feigned a pout, then flagged down one of the rose peddlers.

"Hey! You see that guy over there?" he asked as he pointed to Inuyasha's table. The peddler nodded. "Well, this is his first date with the girl he's with. Do you think you could come up with something smooth to get him some points?"

"Of course," the peddler whispered before walking away.

"Sir?"

Inuyasha turned, finding one of the rose peddlers at his side. He extended a rose to him with a low bow.

"Can I help you?" Inuyasha rudely asked. The peddler blinked, then recovered. "Cupid himself has asked me to grace you with one of his arrows," he said, motioning behind him. Inuyasha looked around him to find Miroku waving and giving him the double thumbs up. Sango lightly whapped him upside the head, but smiled and motioned for Inuyasha to take the rose. Inuyasha smiled back and took the rose from the peddler, palmed a ten and gave it to him in exchange.

"Tell 'Cupid' I send my humble thanks," he said. The peddler nodded and walked away. Inuyasha nervously handed Katrina the rose.

"It's not as sharp as Cupid's arrows," he told her as she took it. Katrina nodded and placed the rose to her nose.

"True, but it may be more effective."

Inuyasha blinked in obvious surprise as Katrina giggled. "Are you ready to go?" he asked. Katrina nodded and Inuyasha motioned for the checks. After paying for his and Sango and Miroku's meal they left the restaurant, with Inuyasha and Katrina in the lead and Sango and Miroku behind. Sango and Miroku were currently discussing Kagome's condition.

"Let me page her real quick," Sango said as she pulled out her shades. After a moment Kagome's voice came through.

"You guys alright?"

"Are we alright?" Sango exclaimed, earning strange looks from passerbys. "Are YOU alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry. OOOOO!!!"

"What?" Sango asked, stopping. Miroku stopped beside her. "What is it? Is there trouble?"

"No trouble," came Sesshoumaru's voice from the other end. "It seems Kagome likes this Gary Daniels character more than I realized."

"Oh hell," Sango groaned. "What is it?" Miroku asked.

"Kagome's watching Gary Daniels movies."

"Oh no," Miroku groaned, leaning against a nearby wall.

"How did you get Kagome's shades?" Sango asked Sesshoumaru.

"She nearly hit me with them."

"That's what I though. Thanks Mr. Takamada. We'll keep in touch."

"Of course."

Sango sighed and put the shades in her pocket. "Kagome's so funny when she watches that guy."

"No she's not," Miroku disagreed. "She's scary. Its like she's obsessed or something."

"Poor Mr. Takamada," Sango sighed. Miroku nodded in agreement. "I'm just glad she's feeling better," Sango said as they caught up the Inuyasha. "I mean, I haven't seen her act like this in a while."

"I just don't understand what's going on," Miroku complained. "She's never reacted this bad on our other missions."

"I know." Sango sighed. "I guess it might have something to do with Mr. Takamada."

"Not understanding," Miroku said as he stopped. Sango sighed.

"Kagome's grandfather saw whatever power Kagome has when she was only a baby, which is why he decided to train her as a miko. He and all of his friends trained Kagome in any martial arts they could get for her, plus any weapon available. Katanas, daggers, crossbows, anything in Kagome's hands is a potential weapon. I've seen her fight with a broomstick as if it were an everyday thing."

"But what about the other stuff?" Miroku asked.

"That other stuff is Kagome's inner power. When we were children, Kagome could do amazing stuff with it. We were on a camping trip with her grandfather one night when we fell in a stream by her grandfather's shrine. We soaked every match we had. Kagome's grandfather looked livid, but told Kagome to make a fire anyway. I'm thinking she's going to do the old rub-two-sticks-together technique, but she didn't. She made a small circle with some rocks, tossed some sticks inside and jabbed an arrow in the middle. It burst into flames."

"Woah."

"Damn skippy."

"Eeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!"

Sango and Miroku looked around, only to find Inuyasha and Katrina missing.

"Where are they?" Sango asked as she looked around. "I don't know," Miroku replied, "But maybe they went this way."

He and Sango followed the sound to a nearby alley.

"Give me all your money, man!"

Inuyasha watched with narrowed eyes as the assailant grabbed Katrina from behind. He thrust a knife to her throat harshly.

"Didn't you hear me? Give me your fucking money! Now!"

A single tear slipped down Katrina's face, snapping the last of Inuyasha's control. In a streak of black he zipped forward and backhanded the mugger into a nearby wall, unconscious. Katrina fell to her knees, shaking slightly as Inuyasha kneeled before her.

"Are you ok?" he asked as Sango and Miroku rounded the corner.

"What happened?" Miroku asked.

"We were nearly mugged. Can you stand Katrina?"

"Of course," Katrina said. She stood for a full two seconds before crumpling back to the ground. Inuyasha chuckled and picked her up. "You can stand, huh?"

"I did."

"Yeah, for two seconds."  
  
Katrina groaned in embarrassment as Inuyasha carried her to the car. Miroku and Sango sat in the front as Inuyasha and Katrina sat in the back.

"You saved my life," Katrina whispered.

"It was nothing."  
  
"It's something to me," she whispered, nuzzling her face into his neck. Inuyasha blushed slightly, but held her closer as they drove to her house in silence, missing the knowing looks from Miroku and Sango.

"Thanks for tonight," Katrina said as Inuyasha walked her to her front door. "It was fun, except for the mugging part. I owe you."

"You don't owe me a thing," Inuyasha assured her. "I didn't want you hurt."

"Well, I still want to do something for you. How about dinner next Wednesday?"

Inuyasha flinched, remembering the ball he had to attend. "I can't…but…"

"But?" Katrina asked, her eyebrow raised.

"How about you come with me to a company ball?"

Katrina smiled and nodded. "Same day, right?" Inuyasha nodded. "Alright then. See you then." She kissed his cheek and went inside, leaving Inuyasha to his thoughts as he returned to the car.

'Maybe this is a good thing,' Inuyasha told himself as he entered the car. 'After all, Fluffy might be right. It would make more sense to get to know someone different than Kikyou, or Marshal Higurashi.' He smiled to himself as Miroku pulled out of the driveway, heading for the hotel.

__

/3:08 AM Saturday, _Sesshoumaru's Room/_

Kagome woke with a start, blinking to adjust to the darkness of the room. She sighed finally and sat up, looking out the balcony doors.

'Nope, nothing there,' she told herself. 'So what woke me up?'

A feeling of fingers grazing her stomach made her look down. Nothing was in her lap, but it did it again, this time with a little pressure. 'That must have been it. What's causing it?'

She looked up at a moan from in front of her. Sesshoumaru seemed to be having a bad dream, tossing and turning in bed as he fought something. Kagome moved to the foot of the bed, trying to decide what to do.

"Father!" a teenaged Sesshoumaru cried as he landed in the clearing. His father was leaning heavily against a tree as the dragon he was fighting struggled to get up. He leveled his heavy gaze to Sesshoumaru as he kneeled before him.

"What are you doing here?" Sesshoumaru's father asked as Sesshoumaru began to check him for wounds.

"I heard the battle and came to help," Sesshoumaru told him. His father shook his head. "No, you must leave. I can't let you get hurt."

"No! You can beat him!"

Sesshoumaru's father nodded slowly. "I can, but not with you here. You must promise me, no matter what, you'll take care of Inuyasha and his mother."

"What are you talking about?" Sesshoumaru asked as he bandaged a wound on his father's arm. "You're coming home, right?"

"No…" Sesshoumaru stared at him wide-eyed as his father grasped his haori. "Promise me you'll protect them!"

"Hai….I will."

"Good." Sesshoumaru's father sighed. "I love you, my son. Never forget that."

"I won't Father. Let me help you."

In that instant, Sesshoumaru's father tossed him out of the clearing, a hundred miles away into a nearby stream. Sesshoumaru nearly shrieked as he went under, the cold water assaulting every cell in his body as he struggled to rise to the surface. He burst out in a flash of red and gold youki, streaking through the air in an attempt to get back to his father. An explosion a few miles ahead of him blew him back to the stream, and again he sputtered and clawed for the surface.

When Sesshoumaru finally made it back to the clearing, the only thing he could find of his father's was a single black slipper; he and the dragon completely obliterated.

Sesshoumaru jumped up sharply, startling Kagome. She watched as his sleep-fogged eyes scanned her, then as he backed away from her. Kagome moved to his bedside and reached for him. He scooted back on all fours, forcing Kagome to climb on the bed to reach him.

"What is it, Mr. Takamada?" she asked as she slowly crawled to him. "What's wrong?" Sesshoumaru continued to back away from her, nearly reaching the edge of the bed. "It was only a dream, Mr. Takamada. Please calm down." Sesshoumaru continued to elude her, a low growl rising out of his throat and between his lips.

"You know," Kagome said, figuring that this would be the best way to disarm him. "You almost sound like a real dog. You could win prizes at county fairs."

Sesshoumaru blinked, giving Kagome enough time in his confusion to reach him. She grabbed his shoulder with one hand and cupped the side of his head with the other, sending a pink burst of energy directly to his nervous system. Sesshoumaru blinked again, then relaxed. Kagome gently pulled him into her lap, hugging and rocking him like as small child as she placed his head on her shoulder.

"Shhhhh...its ok," she whispered. "I'm right here." They sat in silence for a while, with just the rocking motion of Kagome's movements to distract them as Kagome ran her fingers through his hair.

"Why?" Sesshoumaru asked timidly, obviously still under the effects of the pink energy.

"You were having a nightmare, and I wanted to help you," Kagome answered. Sesshoumaru returned the embrace and nuzzled his face into her neck; relaxing as he inhaled her scent.

"Funny. You want to help me when I have killed so many of you…"

Kagome blinked, waiting for him to explain before trying to look at him. 'He's asleep,' she realized with a sigh. 'Now I have to wait until later to find out what he's talking about.' She moved to place his head on the pillow when his arms tightened around her waist. Kagome groaned. 'And he's not planning to let me up anytime soon. Great, just great.' Kagome propped herself against the headboard, making sure not to disturb Sesshoumaru as she made herself more comfortable. 'Oh well, this is a better place than any if I'm going to protect him,' she told herself as she drifted off to sleep.

__

/8:03 AM Saturday, Sesshoumaru's Room/

Inuyasha burst into Sesshoumaru's room, intending on telling him about his date, when he stopped cold. A slow smile crept onto his face, and he held his hand over his mouth to keep from giggling.

'Looks like I'm not the only one impressed by a girl,' Inuyasha thought as he walked closer to the bed. He shook his head in amusement, wanting to engrave the image of the cold and emotionless Sesshoumaru clinging to this slip of a human girl like an overgrown pup with its favorite bear in stone for all to see.

Inuyasha instantly came up with an idea. 'I don't need stone. I have the perfect thing in my room.'

He slipped out quietly, then returned a few moments later with a camera. 'This will be so good!' he thought before pushing the button on the camera. The flash went off instantly, startling Inuyasha. Kagome's eyes flew open at his gasp, the whites of her eyes instantly becoming a vivid purple.

"Marsha-" was all Inuyasha could say before an invisible force flung him out of the room.

WHAM!

Miroku and Sango groaned as they stopped in front of Sesshoumaru's door. "Are they at it again?"

"I hope not," Sango said as she reached for the door knob. "Kagome's the only one who can…wait a minute. "

"What?" Miroku asked. Sango turned the knob and opened the door. "They're not fighting."

"Then what was that thud?"

They rushed into the room in time to see Inuyasha slide down the living room wall opposite them.

"Are you ok?" Miroku asked as he and Sango helped Inuyasha to stand. Inuyasha nodded groggily. "Yeah, just wondering what happened."

"Us too. Care to share?"

"I went in to take a picture of Sesshoumaru, and the next thing I knew I became up close and personal with the wall."

"Oh no.." Sango gasped, then ran toward Sesshoumaru's bedroom. Miroku and Inuyasha went with her, then stopped at the door.

"Woah." Inuyasha gasped. "That can't be good."

Kagome stared at them from behind a purple barrier, her eyes darting dangerously from one person to another as she tightened her hold on a slumbering Sesshoumaru. The barrier grew to the edge of the bed, then stopped.

Inuyasha tried to touch it, but was shocked in an instant. 'Oh hell,' he thought as he started to panic. 'They'll know now that I'm not human. I knew I shouldn't have touched that-'

"Ouch!" Sango exclaimed, pulling back her finger. "That hurt!"

Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief, even though his finger was developing a small bruise. Sango's was developing one as well. She popped it in her mouth as Miroku asked her what happened.

"Kagome's grandfather taught her how to raise mediocre shields, only meant to keep her and whoever she chooses protected until help arrived. This is different. It's like a weapon and a shield in one. Amazing."

"How so?" Inuyasha asked angrily, wondering what was taking so long for his finger to heal.

"Her magic never reached that level where it could hurt humans, so its odd that it hurt us."

'Hurt you, you mean,' Inuyasha grumbled as Miroku waved to Kagome. She watched his hand, but made no move to disarm the barrier. Sango remembered something as she turned to Inuyasha again.

"Did you wake her up?" Inuyasha blinked, then nodded. "Oh no," Sango groaned. "You scared her. Never sneak up on a sleeping miko. How are we going to wake her up?"

"I thought you said-"

"She's half asleep," Sango corrected herself. "And she thinks someone is trying to hurt your brother. At least he's safe in there."

"Hey, why don't we wake him up!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Hey Fluffy! Wake up!"

Sesshoumaru inhaled deeply, his arms tightening around the wonderful smelling pillow before loosening his grip. He could vaguely make out Inuyasha's voice, and rose out of his slumber toward it.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" he grumbled. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Maybe you should look around first," Inuyasha told him. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and nearly gasped.

All he could see besides Kagome was a purple barrier surrounding them. Sesshoumaru moved to sit up when a pair of legs held him down. He looked down to find Kagome wrapped around him, her eyes glowing purple with blue-gray slits.

"Kagome?" Kagome glanced at him, but didn't blink. "What's going on?" he asked the others outside the barrier.

"This genius scared her," Sango grumbled.

"Hey! I didn't know this would happen!" Inuyasha countered.

"Don't start Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru grumbled as he sat up, bringing Kagome with him so she straddled his lap. He gently tapped her cheeks, all the while wondering what Inuyasha scaring her would have to do with the barrier around them.

And how did she get in his bed in the first place?

'Never scare a sleeping miko,' he heard Kagome say in his memory. Everything clicked together. 'Inuyasha must have scared her awake, and she thought we were being attacked.' "Everything is fine, Kagome," he whispered as he tapped her cheeks. "Wake up."

Kagome didn't respond. Instead, she stared straight ahead, watching the others on the side of the shield warily. Sesshoumaru turned to the others and shrugged. "Either of you have any ideas."

"The only thing I can think of is to yell at her," Sango concluded. "She's a light sleeper."

"I don't believe that will work," Sesshoumaru said, watching Kagome out the corner of his eye. "After all, she did sleep straight through Inuyasha's ranting."

"But he did wake her enough to do this somehow," Miroku said thoughtfully. "So, what did you do?"

"Um," Inuyasha said, scratching the back of his head. "I was…trying to take a picture."

"Of what?" Sesshoumaru asked, his tone cool behind the threat in his eyes.

"Of…youholdingherlikeateddybear! There! I said it!"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, mentally reminding himself of the barrier that would likely destroy him if he were to try to attack Inuyasha at this moment. "Where is the camera?"

"She destroyed it."

Sesshoumaru smirked, "Well, there is some good to come out of this."

"Maybe she has to be shocked," Sango suggested.

"How?"

"I don't know. Something like Mr. Hitame did, except on a greater level."

Sesshoumaru thought about this a moment, then smiled as an idea came to him. 'They said shock her, right? Well, let's see what happens.' Without another word, he turned back to Kagome and brushed his lips against hers before fully kissing her.

The gasp from the others was to expected, but the way she tasted a complete surprise. She tasted like wild forests, sparkling rivers and a warm summer wind. What started out as a chaste kiss quickly became something with a purpose as Sesshoumaru moved to deepen it. He nudged her mouth open with his lower lip, then leisurely ran his tongue along hers. He immediately felt Kagome respond, and opened his eyes. He watched as the purple that clouded her vision faded away, leaving a very startled expression. Sesshoumaru reluctantly released her, but not before he traced her lips one last time.

Sesshoumaru almost laughed at the way Kagome looked at him. She felt violated, but for some reason wasn't mad; just confused. She waited for Sesshoumaru to explain, but the only thing he said was

"Good morning Kagome. Do you think you could let us out of here?"

"Huh?" Kagome said, her mind still fogged by the kiss. Sesshoumaru's gaze flickered from her to the end of the bed and back again. Kagome looked down and nearly fainted. The barrier stood in place, the crackling purple lightening standing before the concerned and surprised faces of her friends.

"That, huh?"

"Yes, that. Unless you have something more important to do."

Kagome huffed in irritation, then blinked. In an instant the barrier disappeared, and a second later Sango dragged her out of Sesshoumaru's lap and into the hallway outside the hotel room. Sesshoumaru stood, stretched, then moved to his closet.

"Well," Miroku teased as he and Inuyasha left the room. "That's a hell of a way to wake up, and a hell of a way to wake someone up. Maybe I should try it sometime."

Sesshoumaru barely spared them a glance.


	9. Play Time

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Nine: Play Time

__

/4:40 PM Monday, 'The Glass House' Break Room/

Kagome fiddled with the buttons on her suit jacket as she waited for the water heater in the break room to finish.

"I'm bored," she sang out loud. "What should I do? I know!" She pulled her cell phone out of her jacket pocket and dialed Shippou's number.

"Kit's Playground, The Man With the Plan here!" Shippou chirped after a few rings.

"Hi Pup."

"Kagome-mama! How are you?"

"I've been better," Kagome mumbled as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. The black pinstripe jacket suited her well, with a matching miniskirt, simple black pumps and a white vest underneath. "Do you have any info?"

"Yeah. Juku-"

"Rin?"

"Yes, Rin is being protected by the FBI as we speak."

"Is that all?" Kagome asked irritably.

"Um, yeah that's WOAH! Wait a minute!"

"What is it?" Kagome demanded, trying to keep her voice down. "What?"

"I just got an email! It seems like something happened-"

"Hold on Ship," Kagome told him as Myouga came in. She sat the phone on her shoulder and smiled. "Hello Mr. Kirasara."

"Hello Kagome. Please, Myouga is fine," he said as he made his way to the coffee machine.

"OK. How are you?" Kagome asked. Myouga sighed. "Not very well, if I do say so myself."

"What's wrong?" she asked as he sat down. Kagome sat down beside him and waited for him to finish his swig.

"Ah, that's better. When you get to be my age, coffee becomes almost as important as air."

Kagome giggled quietly. "I can't imagine. What's the matter?"

"It's the Seattle branch of WCT. It was vandalized earlier today."

"Really?" Kagome gasped, thinking that this might be what Shippou was about to tell her. "What happened?"

"The Tenseiga for that area was dismantled. Apparently a few technicians were hurt as well. Mt. Hitame and Mr. Takamada just found out."

"How are they taking it?"

Myouga glanced at her over his coffee mug. "You mean you can't hear Mr. Hitame ranting in his office?"

Kagome shook her head no and Myouga sighed. "You must be immune. Well my dear, I must be off. You finish your phone call."

Kagome waved goodbye as Myouga left, then returned to Shippou. "Sorry Pup. That's what you wanted to tell me, wasn't it?"

"Yup, except it seems like the employees were given a watered down version of what happened."

"Well fill me in," Kagome told him as she glanced at the water heater. 'Darn, it's still going. Ancient piece of crap.'

"Ok Kagome-mama, here's the skinny: The Tenseiga in Seattle wasn't dismantled; it was blown apart."

"Woah," replied Kagome. "How?"

"In the Seattle branch, there's one guard per hour over the lab with the Tenseiga."

"The Tenseiga is the power source for the portable surgical lasers, right?"

"Right. Anyway, there's a shift change every hour. One of the guards went missing at about 3:00 today. He was found a few minutes after shift change, cut into pieces like sushi."

"Ew! Thanks for the visual, Ship."

"Sorry Kagome-mama. Anyway, the Tenseiga lab exploded a few minutes after they found him. There were at least 8 techs in there."

"Oh man," Kagome groaned. "Does Takamada and Hitame know?"

"Yeah. From what I see here, they received the full-version and Takamada himself approved the watered down employee-version. Looks like things are heating up, Kagome."  
  
"Yeah, I think you're right."

"Don't worry though!" Shippou chirped. "I'm working on another gadget as we speak."

"I'm sure you are. Well, I have to go-"

"Before you do," Shippou interrupted. "You're grandfather called."  
  
"He did?"

"Yeah, he asked me to ask you to call him. I'll let you go, Kagome. Be careful."

"I will."

Kagome hung up and glanced at the water heater again. 'For the love of God, is it dead?' She tapped on the side of the heater experimentally. 'Nope, not dead, just comatose. I guess it does give me enough time to call Grandpa.' She pressed the speed dial for him and waited.

"Hello?"

"Hi Grandpa!" Kagome chirped as she closed the break room door. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Grandpa said over the other line. "Never better considering that I'm a 63 year old man with arthritis. But how are you?"

"I'm fine Grandpa," Kagome lied. "Why?"

"Because I sense a great disturbance in you, my dear. Are you sure?"

"Actually," Kagome sighed as she sat back down. "I've been better."

"What's happened?"

Kagome relayed to him the recent surge in her power over the past week and a half. When she finished, Grandpa sighed.

"I should have known."

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked, sitting up in her chair. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I should have known," Grandpa replied. "What do you think your power is doing?"

"I think I'm losing control," Kagome groaned, lightly thumping her forehead against the table. Grandpa laughed from the other end.

"No, you're not losing control. You're power is just breaking through on its own."

"I thought if I quit-"

"That it would stop?" Grandpa interrupted. Kagome nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see it. "If you would have quit earlier, it would have."

"I don't understand."

"I didn't think you would. Get comfortable Kagome, this will take a while."

Kagome leaned back against the seat, checked on the water heater again, then told him to continue.

"You see, normally when a miko-in-training quits at 15, their power recedes until its nothing more than the gut feelings that normal humans get. That didn't happen to you because you're power level by that time was too great to recede. It instead went into hibernation until you needed it."

"Like now?" Kagome asked.

"Uh-huh. You're power apparently feels like whoever your charge is needs protecting from someone stronger than an average human. You really are the perfect person for the job this time."

"So I'm not losing control?"

"No, but you will if you don't use your power."

"How do I do that?" Kagome asked as the water heater finally went off.

"Do you remember how you used to play dolls?"

"Yeah."

"Do that."

"Yeah right," Kagome grumbled as she walked to the shelf for a cup. "I'm sure the guy I'm protecting wouldn't mind stopping by Toys-R-Us after work to pick up Barbies and Play-Do."

"You don't have to play with dolls. Play 'Super Girl' with Sango like you used to. I'm sure your charge won't mind, especially if you told him."

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked as she hunted for the tea leaves.

"Yes, I'm sure. Just play until you feel sleepy every few days. Use some of it the way you're ancestors used it."

"Like a weapon, Grandpa?"

"Right, like those exploding bullets I heard about on TV. Don't overdo it or else it'll take more time for your power to regenerate. If you yawn, stop. And tell Sango hello."

"OK Grandpa, I will," Kagome said before she hung up. She located the green tea leaves and was opening the can when she got an idea. 'Mr. Takamada's under a lot of stress, right? So why not give him something to relax?' Kagome hunted again until she found the chamomile tea. 'This should do perfectly,' she said as she dropped the leaves inside the tea cup. She prepared it the usual way, then left the break room.

"Here you are, Mr. Takamada," Kagome said as she stepped into the office. Sesshoumaru barely looked up from whatever he was typing. Kagome shrugged and set the cup on the coaster on his desk. Sesshoumaru reached for it, took a sip and grimaced.

"Is it too hot?" Kagome asked when he sat it back down.

"What is that?" he asked.

"Its chamomile."

"Did I ask for chamomile?" Sesshoumaru asked, finally glaring up at her. Kagome gulped. "No, but I figured that you might be able to use some with what happened at Seattle."

"I didn't ask you for chamomile, did I?" he frowned. "I asked for green. Are you really so incompetent?"

"Excuse me?"

"And you can't hear. What's next?" Sesshoumaru jeered as Kagome's face turned pink. Kagome closed her eyes, took in a few cleansing breaths and opened them again.

"Look, I know you're not angry with me, so I'm going to ignore you," Kagome said calmly. "As for the tea, I apologize but I thought-"

"I don't ask you to think, I ask you to do, which you didn't. You really are just another clueless female, aren't you?"

"You can't be this mad over a cup of tea!" Kagome said as she stood in front of his desk.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Its not the tea, it's the principle. It makes me worry for my own safety when you can't get a simple cup of tea right."

"Oooooooo," Kagome growled, balling her fists by her sides. 'If I hit him, I'll get fired,' she reminded herself as she calmed herself. "You know what, I don't have to listen to this." She turned on her heel and walked toward the door.

"I haven't dismissed you yet," Sesshoumaru told her as she opened the door. Kagome looked back over her shoulder.

"Really? Well, this is what I think of your dismissal."

BAM!

Kagome sighed on the other side of the door, reveling in the sound the door made as the slam reverberated down the hallway. She walked back to the break room, sat down and rested her head against the same table. 'I thought he was a nice guy,' Kagome said to herself. 'Boy was I wrong! He's such a jerk!' A single tear slipped down her face. 'Oh great,' Kagome thought as she wiped it away. 'Now I'm crying. Like things aren't bad enough. Why am I crying in the first place?' She sniffed as another tear rolled down her cheek. 'Oh great,' she groaned as she covered her head with her arms. 'Just great. Now what?'

Inuyasha peered into the copier room.

Nothing.

'Oh hell,' he grumbled to himself as he walked down the hallway. 'Where is that girl? It doesn't take this long for a quote from marketing.' He peered into the break room and stopped. 'What's she doing here?' Inuyasha asked himself as he leaned against the doorway. 'And is she crying?'

Inuyasha watched as Kagome's shoulders shook slightly, a sure indication that she was, indeed, crying. Inuyasha moved to the chair beside her, the illusive girl and the copies forgotten as he tapped on Kagome's shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked. Kagome sniffed and looked up. "Oh, hi Mr. Hitame," she whispered "How are you?"

"Better than you I'm afraid," Inuyasha said as he removed a handkerchief from his pocket and dried her face. "What's the matter?"

Kagome gave a lady-like snort and rolled her eyes irritably. "Your brother and I had a fight."

"I didn't know you two were serious," Inuyasha joked. Kagome smiled and shook her head. "Not that kind of fight Mr. Hitame."

"Of course not," Inuyasha assured her as he helped her to stand. "I was merely joking." He embraced her, making small circles with his thumb in the middle of her shoulders to calm her. "Now what did Fluffy do?"

"Why do you call him Fluffy?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha cleared his throat nervously, then said "Um, because he's…so opposite, you know?" 'Not to mention his fluffy tail in his humanoid form,' he thought sardonically as Kagome told him about the tea. Inuyasha waited until she finished to react.

"And you took that?" he asked her.

"Took what?"

"Took him talking to you like that, that's what! Come on, Marshal!" Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's arm then dragged her out of the break room and into the hallway to Sesshoumaru's office.

"What are you going to do Mr. Hitame?" Kagome asked him.

"It's Inuyasha, and I'm going to tell him off for you."

"I'm Kagome," Kagome told him. He stopped and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Kagome."

"You too Inuyasha. Now I don't think this is a good idea."

"Of course it is! He's a jerk and he's going to say he's sorry!" Inuyasha shoved Kagome into Sesshoumaru's office, then entered himself before Kagome pointed ahead of her. Inuyasha looked to the center of Sesshoumaru's office where Sesshoumaru sat crossed-legged in the middle of the floor, meditating. He turned back to Kagome, only to find an evil grin on her face. She pulled out her two-way, typed something, then handed it to him. Inuyasha glanced at her curiously, then read her message.

Don't say anything. I have a better idea.

Inuyasha smiled back at her, typed a reply and handed it to her.

What's the plan?

Kagome passed it back moments later.

Watch

Inuyasha glanced back at her, but found her staring at Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha glanced at him for a moment, then nearly gasped as Sesshoumaru started to float from the floor. He rose slowly until he sat at least two feet in the air, with nothing but Kagome's power holding him up. Inuyasha typed again and handed it to her.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

Kagome passed it back in seconds.

I'm playing. It's to keep another Saturday from happening. You can touch him if you want.

Inuyasha smiled back. "Really?" he mouthed. Kagome nodded and Inuyasha cautiously walked forward until he stood beside Sesshoumaru. He pressed one finger to Sesshoumaru's forehead, and was surprised when he pushed Sesshoumaru back. He glanced back at Kagome again, then used his fingers to push Sesshoumaru from side to side effortlessly. 'Wow,' he thought as he poked Sesshoumaru in the temple again. 'It's like poking a feather.'

"This is so cool!" Inuyasha exclaimed, then clamped a hand over his mouth. Kagome frowned as Sesshoumaru's eyes flew open, then waved at him.

"Hello Mr. Takamada. Sorry to disturb you," Kagome apologized. Inuyasha fought back a giggle as Sesshoumaru glared at them.

"What are you doing in my office Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha swallowed the laughing fit and answered him as calmly as possible. "I came in here to berate you for snapping at Kagome like you did earlier, but I think she's handled you on her own." And with that, he lost his fight with the giggles.

Sesshoumaru glanced at him quizzically, then at Kagome. "Care to explain?"

Kagome said nothing, but pointed down instead. Sesshoumaru looked down, surprised to find himself sitting on air. He glanced back at Kagome, who waved again.

"This is your doing, correct?" he asked her. Kagome nodded. "I meant to tell you earlier, but you were in a foul mood."

"Tell him what?" Inuyasha asked as he poked Sesshoumaru again. Sesshoumaru moved a few inches to the side, which received another laugh from Inuyasha.

Kagome sighed. "That my grandfather said that I have to do something like this every few days to keep my powers under control. Would you like to fly, Inuyasha?"

"Sure!" Inuyasha chirped. Seconds later, he floated beside Sesshoumaru, grinning happily as he sat down beside him. "Hey, can I move through the air?"

"Give me a moment," Kagome told him as she closed her eyes. A second later she opened them again and nodded. "Go ahead. It's just like swimming."

Inuyasha moved to his back and kicked, then kicked again as he moved through the air. "This is great, Fluffy!" he exclaimed as he 'swam' around the office. "We should clone the girl and sell them on E-Bay!"

Kagome giggled as Inuyasha crossed the room to the window. Sesshoumaru watched Inuyasha a moment, then turned to Kagome. "I take it that I can't move as he can?"

"Bingo," Kagome said as she sat in one of the office chairs. "I'm still mad at you, so you can't."

"I would like to speak to you about that," he said. Kagome looked at him warily then shrugged. Sesshoumaru floated to her moments later, stopping directly in front of her.

"Now what would you like to discuss?" Kagome asked as she unbuttoned his suit jacket. Sesshoumaru watched her a moment, then mentally groaned.

"I would like to apologize…again."

"Wow, that's twice," Kagome teased as she loosened his tie. "I bet you're not happy."

"Why are you undressing me?"

Kagome blushed as she shook her head. "I'm not undressing you, pervert. I'm helping you. You looked tense, but you don't now. And I accept your apology by the way."

"About my moving of my own free will?"

"Done," Kagome told him as she stood up. Sure enough, Sesshoumaru stood up and extended a hand to her.

"Would you like to join me?"

"Nah, I think I can manage on my own," Kagome said as she slowly rose in front of him. Kagome 'played' until 6 o' clock, then remembered something.

"Where's Sango?" she asked Inuyasha as he floated past.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I was looking for her when I found you. Want to look for her?"

"No," Kagome sighed. Her attaché opened and her shades floated to her. "I think I know where she is." Kagome pressed the button for Miroku and growled "Is Sango with you?"

"It depends," Miroku's voice reasoned from the other end. "Of what you mean by 'with you'."

"Please don't play with me," Kagome warned. "You know what I mean."

"She was, but she went back upstairs."

"Page her and tell her to wait in the limo," Kagome ordered before sending the shades back to their hiding place. She turned to the brothers and sighed. "I think Sango and Miroku pulled a sneak."

"What's a sneak?" Inuyasha asked.

"Never mind that. Didn't you two say something about buying formalwear for the ball Wednesday?"

Inuyasha grinned as Sesshoumaru nodded. "Hey, does this mean that you won't get sick again?"

"I hope so," Kagome said as Sesshoumaru stopped beside her. "You guys ready to go?"

"Awwwww" Inuyasha complained as he floated back down. "We can't float out of here?"

"Of course not," Sesshoumaru answered for Kagome as his feet touched the floor. "This is a medical research facility, and the boys in the lab would want to study her if we did that."

"Oh well," Inuyasha grumbled as he straightened his suit. "We'll get to do it again, right?"

"Yup. I have to do this every few days. You volunteer to help me?"

"Sure! This was great!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he headed for the door. "When are you coming down by the way?" he asked.

"Right now."  
  
Kagome instantly dropped from the air. Sesshoumaru, thinking she were falling, quickly moved to catch her. Kagome landed in his arms moments later.

"You didn't have to do that, but thank you," she said as she climbed down.

"You were falling."  
  
"On purpose. I just released the spell. I would have caught myself, but thank you for helping."

Sesshoumaru followed behind Kagome and Inuyasha to the elevator, then to the limo in the parking lot. As they entered the back, Kagome reached over and whapped Sango's arm.

"Where have you been?" she demanded as she sat down on the other side. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru sat in the rear seat behind them.

"You told Miroku to tell me to come here."

"I thought you two were together! What's wrong with you?"

Sango shrugged sheepishly. "I got lost. Miroku found me and, well-"

"Well nothing," Kagome said as she slid down the privacy window. "I should write you two up."

"Don't do that, Kagome!" Miroku said as he poked his head through the window. "We didn't do anything!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kagome countered. "Then where are Sango's pantyhose?"

"Um….er…."

"Exactly. Jeez!"

"On to more important matters," Sesshoumaru interrupted, earning grateful looks from Sango and Miroku.

"Like?" Kagome asked.

"Like the ball!" Inuyasha said. "Do you have Katrina's sizes Sango?"

"Katrina," Kagome said as Sango reached inside her pocket for a piece of paper. "Oh yeah, she's the lady you went out with Friday, right?"

"Right," Inuyasha said as he took the paper from Sango. "I invited her to this shin-dig."

"That's great!" Kagome exclaimed. "I can't wait to meet her."

"What are you two wearing?" Miroku asked from in front."

"Is it a black tie?" Sango asked Sesshoumaru, who nodded in response. "That's great! I have the perfect black dress!"

"I'm going to get Katrina one," Inuyasha said, earning a foul look from Sesshoumaru. "What? Why not?"

"It's you're money," Sesshoumaru said with a shrug. "What about you?" he asked Kagome.

"I brought a tuxedo, just in case." Kagome glanced around to find everyone staring at her. "What?"

"You are not coming with me dressed in a women's tux," Sesshoumaru said with a frown.

"Why not?" Kagome asked.

"Because I said so."

"Well I'm not buying anything else," Kagome countered. "Its either that or I don't go."

"Or I buy you a dress."

Kagome glanced at him in surprise. "What?" she whispered.

"I'm going to buy you a dress," Sesshoumaru said slowly, as if she were only a child.

"Um, no."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You don't have a choice. While I'm at it, I may as well get your hair done at the hotel salon." He grabbed her hand and inspected it. "A manicure is in order as well."

"What_ever_!" Kagome said as she jerked her hand away from him. "I'm not doing it!"

"Shoes too," Sesshoumaru said, ignoring her. "What do you think Marshal Taijia?"

"I totally agree. A facial too."

"Sango!"

"What?" Sango said with a shrug. "Why not?"

"I agree. The ball starts at 6 o' clock. You will spend until 5:30 in the salon."

Kagome huffed. "Who'll look after you?"

"I will," Sango volunteered. "Just do it."

"No." Kagome crossed her arms over her chest. "We'll see," Sango sang as she leaned back against the seat.

Kagome glanced up suddenly, looking out the window over Sango's shoulder. She then tapped on the privacy glass.

"Hey Miroku, what kind of car is in front of us?" she asked. Miroku's head popped in the window moments later.

"A black SUV, why?"

"There's one beside us too," Kagome said as she moved toward Sesshoumaru. She straddled his lap and peered over his shoulder through the window behind him.

"Oh crap."

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked her as she shifted against him.

"Miroku, pass us our stuff."

"Will we need it Boss?" Miroku asked as he passed a black duffle bag and two hard plastic cases through the privacy window. Sango grabbed one of the cases, pulled out a .44 Magnum and proceeded to load it.

"I think so," Kagome said as the window of the SUV on their left slid down.

"GET DOWN!" Kagome exclaimed as a gun poked through the window. Bullets flew through the air moments later. Kagome jerked Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to the floor, then erected an invisible shield around the limo passengers. She reached around Sesshoumaru, who'd landed on top of her, for the black case with her shotgun inside. She loaded it, then raised herself up to unroll one of the windows.

"You willing to pass me rounds?" she asked Sesshoumaru. He nodded as Sango opened her window and returned fire. They could hear Miroku's rifle in the front. Kagome pointed the shotgun at the SUV behind them and fired.

The SUV pulled back, but wasn't damaged. Kagome swore and reached toward Sesshoumaru for another round. Inuyasha passed Sango another clip as the two SUVs remaining returned fire. Kagome stuck her gun out of Sango's window and pulled the trigger.

The rear tire exploded, sending the SUV skidding off the road and into a ditch on the other side of the road. Kagome reloaded and stuck the barrel out the sunroof, aiming for the SUV ahead of them. A shot and an instant later it too swerved off the road with a shattered back window. Kagome pounded on the privacy window as soon as the opposing vehicle moved aside.

"Let's go, Miroku! Get us out of here!"

"You took care of them all, Kagome!" Miroku told her as the driver picked up speed. "There's no reason to get a ticket on top of this!"

"I didn't hit the last SUV!"

"The one behind us?"

"Huh?" Kagome turned around and, sure enough, the last SUV was slowly trying to catch up with them.

"Let's go, Miroku! We don't have all day!"

Sesshoumaru sat on the floor at Kagome's feet, his pride taking a bruising with each shot fired. 'I'm a taiyoukai! What am I doing, sitting here and allowing these humans to protect me. Ha!' Sesshoumaru snorted lightly, missing Inuyasha's strange look. 'This has gone on long enough.'

"Stop the car Norton!"

"What?" Kagome shouted. "Are you serious Takamada?"

"I said stop the car!" Sesshoumaru demanded, scaring the elderly driver into doing as he was told. The limo skidded to a stop across both lanes. Sesshoumaru stepped out and walked down the road toward the SUV, which stopped at the end of the road.

"What are you doing?" Kagome cried as she shed her jacket, grabbed two bullets and went after him. "Do you have a death wish?"

"I'm tired of running," Sesshoumaru growled. He crossed his left hand over his chest, extended his claws and willed the green poison to flow from their points. "It's time I fought back."

"By taking on a two ton SUV?" Kagome countered as she ran behind him.

"Go back to the car Kagome."

"Forget it!" Kagome reached for Sesshoumaru's jacket, but missed as he walked toward the SUV. 'Oh God, he's lost it!' she told herself as she loaded her shotgun. 'Only one thing to do: watch and wait.'

The SUV revved its engine before burning rubber toward Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru ran toward it, his hand extended and ready to rip the metal monster into pieces. Kagome raised the shotgun at Sesshoumaru's back, waited until he was mere inches from the SUV's bumper to levitate him above the car and pulled the trigger.

The bullet burned toward the SUV in a purple comet-like streak, then collided with the hood before exploding. The SUV turned on its side and skidded uncontrollably toward Kagome. Kagome dove away at the last second, the SUV missing her and embedding itself into a nearby ditch before igniting into a fiery inferno.

"That sucked," Kagome mumbled as she stood up and dusted herself off. She glanced at the flaming car, then at the CEO hovering over her head like a pissed off guardian angel. She gave him an innocent smile.

"How are you Mr. Takamada? Are you sane yet?"

"I never lost my sanity," he said as Kagome turned around and walked back to the limo. To his indignation, Kagome started to pull him after her like a kite. He growled down at her, then sighed, propped his elbow on his knee and rested his chin in the palm of his hand.

"Sure," Kagome said as Sango and the others stepped out of the car. One look at Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha and Miroku burst out laughing. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at them, then turned a quizzical glance to Kagome.

"When do I get down from here?" he asked her. Kagome shrugged. "When you promise not to pull another stunt like that."

Sesshoumaru sighed in long-suffering. "Fine. I give you my word. I won't pull another 'stunt'."

Kagome smiled and slowly lowered him to the ground. "Good boy. Now, what are we going to tell the FBI?"


	10. The Ball

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Ten: The Ball

__

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

-Byron, 'She Walks in Beauty'-

__

/9:30 AM Wednesday/

A pair of bell boys dragged a large box out of the elevator, then shoved it down the hallway toward the room door on the left. When they reached their destination, they sighed and leaned heavily on the box.

"What's in this thing, kryptonite?" one asked as he took off his red bell hop hat and wiped his brow.

"I don't know man. Let's get this over with. I have to meet my girlfriend in a few minutes."

"Is this the right room?" the first bell boy asked. The second read the shipping address on the top of the box. "Yup, this is it. Ring the doorbell."

They rang the bell and waited patiently for someone to answer the door. The door opened a few minutes later.

"Can I help you fellas?" a dark-haired woman asked as she stepped in the threshold. The bell boys gawked at her, the box forgotten as they soaked in her legs from out from under the short red boxers. The form-fitting white tank top wasn't neglected under their intense gaze either, but was quickly forgotten by the intensity in her curious blue eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked again, startling them out of their revere. They tipped their hats nervously.

"Um, yeah. We have a package for Mr. Takamada. You wouldn't happen to be Mrs. Takamada, would you?"

She giggled slightly. "No, not me. I'm Mr. Takamada's assistant."

"Really?" they replied, eyeing her like little kids in a candy shop. "That's interesting."

"Yes, it is," a man said as he appeared behind her. "Are those my packages Kagome?"

"Yup," Kagome chirped as she waited for him to sign the invoice. "You didn't tell me you were expecting anything Mr. Takamada."

"Yes I did," Sesshoumaru said as he opened the box. "This is what you're wearing tonight."

He turned to the bell boys and sighed. "You," he pointed to the boy on the left "Escort my assistant to the salon. You," pointing to the boy on the right "take these" he dumped five white boxes of various sizes into his arms "to the head of the salon. I believe her name is Yura, or something of that nature." Sesshoumaru shoved Kagome out of the room and into the bell boy's arms as Sango came out of her room. "Have fun Kagome."

"Now wait just a minute!" Kagome called as the boy walked her to the elevator. "Takamada! This isn't funny!"  
  
"See you later Kagome-girl!" Sango called as Miroku and Inuyasha came out of his room. They waved as well as Kagome and the bell boy entered the elevator and the elevator doors closed.

"That was easier than I thought," Sango said as another bell boy emerged from the elevator a few minutes later.

"A package for Sango Taijia."

"That's me," Sango said as the bell boy handed her the small brown pack. "Thank you." She opened it as the others gathered around her, waiting as she read the letter attached to it.

Sango,

Another gadget for my favorite ' bomb exterminator'.

Kit

"That darned Shippou!" Sango exclaimed as she ripped the rest of the package apart. Inside was a small palm-pilot with an instruction manual. "Oh my God!" Sango said after she read the instructions. "It's a mini X-ray machine!"

The bell hop led Kagome to the spa on the lobby floor, then left as one of the employees approached her.

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked as she clicked and snapped her gum.

Kagome shuddered slightly. "I don't know. Mr. Takamada sent me here."

"You're Mr. Takamada's assistant!" the woman screeched. "Oh my goodness! We've been waiting on you! Come this way!" She grabbed Kagome by the arm and half dragged her down a long hallway to the back of the spa. Along the way, other employees poked their head out of various doors to ask about who she was. When the woman informed them that Kagome was the girl Sesshoumaru sent, they cooed in excitement and followed until they came to a small room at the end of the hallway.

On the other side of the door stood a girl with short, black hair and vivid red lipstick. "And who is she?" she asked impatiently.

"She's Mr. Takamada's assistant."

"Ooooooo!" she purred as she walked up to Kagome. "So ya are! How are ya darlin'?"

"I've been better, thank you," Kagome muttered as the lady shook her hand. "I'm Kagome."

"Oh, right. I'm Yura, and this is the 'Yura of the Hair Salon'! We're gonna to make you so beautiful!"

"Um, thanks," Kagome said as the others swarmed around her. "What's going on?"

"We're just surveying our workspace," Yura commented as one of the girl's appeared with a towel. "Now if you please, take off your clothes."

"Why?"

Yura sighed. "Mr. Takamada arranged for ya to have the all-day treatment," she said as she tugged Kagome's tank top over her head. "That means a full day of relaxation, rejuvenation and regeneration." She tossed the shirt into a waste basket. "I don't know what ya did to deserve it, but maybe I'm in the wrong job."

"Hey! That's mine!"

"I mean," Yura continued as the others removed the shorts. "To be rewarded with a full day of beauty. I wish all bosses were so generous."

"My shorts!"

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Yura assured Kagome as one of the other girls' tossed Kagome's shorts into the waste basket. "You've never done this before, right?"

"Right. What am I going to wear back to my room if you guys throw away my clothes?" Kagome asked as she watched her underwear sail into the waste basket. Yura scoffed and wrapped a white towel around her. "Don't worry about that. Mr. Takamada arranged a change of clothes for ya. Just relax and don't worry about a thing."

"Alright," Kagome said. Yura moved behind her and started to run her fingers through Kagome's hair as the others raised her arms and studied her legs. "What are you guys doing?"

"We're tryin' to see what would bring out the inner you," Yura said as she flipped a few strands into Kagome's face.

"The inner me?"

"Yes, the inner goddess. We're tryin' to see what kind of treatments will do that." She stepped in front of her and traced her hands over Kagome's face. "Ah, yes. Kemiri nut would be perfect. What do you think girls?"

"Kemiri nut!" the others cheered as they dragged Kagome through a door and down another hallway. 'Oh no,' Kagome groaned as she allowed herself to be pulled along. 'I'm going to hurt Takamada when this is over.'

"First stop:" Yura exclaimed as she flung a door open. "A kemiri nut facial!"

"Oh God."

__

/11:00 AM, Sesshoumaru's Room/

Sesshoumaru stood outside his room with Sango as she tried out her new gadget when the elevator door opened. Out stepped another bell boy with yet another package. He nodded to Sesshoumaru and Sango, then rang the bell to Inuyasha's room. Inuyasha stuck his head out seconds later, with Miroku not too far behind.

"Can I help you?" Inuyasha muttered irritably.

"Package for Mr. Hitame!" the bell boy squeaked. Inuyasha immediately grinned and jerked the package from him, tossing the chess piece in his hand back into the room. "Thanks man! Mr. Takamada will sign for it!"

The bell boy shrugged and handed Sesshoumaru the invoice as Sango kneeled over Inuyasha and the package. "Can I try my X-ray machine on it?"

"Sure," Inuyasha said as he slid the package to her. Sango waved the palm pilot over the pack, then grinned back.

"You bought the dress I suggested?" she asked as Inuyasha ripped the package open and pulled the dress out. It was a tea length black tank dress with mint green, baby blue and baby pink sashes wrapped around the middle and trailing around the back.

"I sure did!" Inuyasha said as he put it back into the box. "I bet you didn't get anything as good as this, Sesshoumaru!"

"I would not assume that," Sesshoumaru replied, a bored expression crossing his features. Sango sighed as Miroku came out of the room.

"Are you going to finish the game?" he asked Inuyasha before he spotted the dress. "Hey! Is that Katrina's dress?"

"Yup. I need to get it to her, you going?"

"Sure!" Miroku tossed his chess piece back into the room and shut the door as Inuyasha picked up the package. "We'll be back shortly!"

/_12: 05 PM, with Kagome/_

"Where are we going now?" Kagome groaned as the flock of girls dragged her down another hallway.

"Next is a lulur with an oil massage," Yura said as two girls helped Kagome onto a massage table.

"What's a lulur?" Kagome asked as she settled on the table.

"You'll see…" Yura cooed.

"What kind of oil would you like?" one of them asked as the other moved toward Kagome's feet.

"Well," Kagome said "what's Takamada's favorite flower?"  
  
"I don't know," Yura said, scratching her chin. "But I think he orders lavender and jasmine flowers for his room every morning."

"Good, that will do," Kagome said as she rested her head on her arms. The massage began minutes later, with one masseuse working on her arms while the other worked on her feet. Kagome slowly relaxed under the kneading, the oil heating on her skin and gradually scenting the room.

Kagome started to fall asleep under the relaxing motions when something cold splattered on her back.

"Oo!" she gasped as she turned around. A bright orange substance oozed down her back and off her side. "What is that?"

"That is the lulur," Yura said as the masseuses poured more on. Kagome winced under the assault, but kept still as they smoothed the stuff over her body.

__

/12: 45 PM, Sesshoumaru's Room/

Ding-Dong.

"Expecting another package, Mr. Takamada," Sango asked as she answered the door. Sesshoumaru looked away from the TV as she did so, watching as she scanned the package. "I am. What is it?"

"It looks like a necklace. Is this another part of Kagome's dress?" Sango asked as she took the package and closed the door.

'A necklace? What the hell?' Sesshoumaru grabbed the package from her and left for his room, slamming the door behind him and tossing the package onto the bed before ripping it open. He held a small, golden necklace in his hand moments later.

'I told those fools to disguise this as a lapel pin,' Sesshoumaru grumbled as he fingered the pink solitaire in the center of the chain. 'There's no way I can hide this now, unless…' Sesshoumaru smiled and dropped the necklace back into the delivery box. 'Perhaps I still can,' he thought as he returned to the living room.

__

/1:05 PM, with Kagome/

Kagome's stomach grumbled as the masseuses wrapped her in what looked like saran wrap.

"Are ya hungry?" Yura asked as the other girls giggled. Kagome blushed in answer. "Don't worry, Mr. Takamada thought of that too. Girls!" She clapped her hands and moments later one of the girls appeared with a small white plate.

"What's that?" Kagome asked as the girl with the plate sat down beside her.

"That's the house specialty," Yura said as she passed the girl a fork. "Tuna steak!"

"How am I supposed to eat it?" Kagome asked, motioning to her wrapped up state.

"One of us will feed it to ya."

"That's not necessary," Kagome said as the girl raised a bit of the steak on a fork to her lips. "I'll wait."  
  
"Nonsense. That's what we're here for," Yura replied as she motioned for Kagome to eat. 'Well,' Kagome thought as she took the small bit of food. 'this isn't so bad. And this steak is good!'

__

/2:08 PM, Sesshoumaru's Room/

Ding-Dong!

"Jeez!" Miroku muttered as he came out of Sesshoumaru's study. "This mate gets more deliveries in a day! How does Kagome do it?" He opened the door, but only found Inuyasha and Katrina on the other side.

"Hey Miroku," Katrina said as she and Inuyasha entered the room. "How are you?"  
  
"Fine, Katrina. Its good to see you."

"Where's Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked as he and Katrina sat down on the couch.

"I'm right here," Sesshoumaru said from the bedroom threshold as he fastened his cufflinks. He stood there in a pair of white tuxedo pants and a white mandarin-collared shirt, eyeing Katrina warily. 'Why can't I pick up a scent on her?' he wondered as Inuyasha introduced them to each other. Katrina smiled and greeted him.

"I'll be back people," Inuyasha said as he walked toward the door. "I have to get dressed."

__

/2:45 PM, with Kagome/

"Now what am I supposed to do again?" Kagome asked as she stood in the threshold of the cavern. Since her massage, she'd had a jasmine-infused hair conditioner, a manicure and a pedicure. Now she stood at the entrance to a stone-walled pathway, totally nude except for an orange body mask, eying Yura and the others suspiciously.

"Just walk down the corridor until ya reach the bath," Yura instructed as she and the other girls closed the door behind her. Kagome sighed as the paper door slid closed, then stepped into the water below and started down the pathway.

As she walked along, she noticed the round, flat stones under her feet. 'Wow, this feels kind of good,' she sighed as she wiggled her toes against the stones. Tiny goldfish swam from some unknown part of the cavern and nibbled at her toes. Kagome giggled and continued walking down the hallway, sometimes stopping to watch the water as it flowed over the black stone walls.

Kagome gasped when she reached the opening at the end of the cavern. On this side was the bath room, with a marble whirlpool tub in the center of the room. On one side were water-filled basin steps that lead into the tub, and on the other were regular black and white marble steps to get out. Kagome sighed as she lowered herself into the water. 'Now this I could get used to,' she thought as she plucked one of the many rose petals out of the water.

/_5:40 PM, Sesshoumaru's Room/_

"Where is that girl?" Inuyasha grumbled as he paced Sesshoumaru's living room. "Doesn't she know that we have to go?"

Sango entered the room moments later, dressed in a black dress with fuchsia netting peaking from under it. "Any word from Kagome?"

"Nope. No sign," Sango told them. "Does she have her shades on her?" Sesshoumaru held up the shades, twirling them around his left pinky finger.

"I take it that's a no."

"How astute of you," Sesshoumaru mumbled as he pocketed the shades and picked up the phone. The others listened as he called the salon.

"You say she's not there?" Sesshoumaru finally said. The others cast him uneasy glances as he nodded. "Of course. Thank you." He hung up and glanced at the others before standing up. He grabbed his white suit jacket and strolled out the room without another word.

"Takamada!" Sango called as she and the others ran after him. They barely avoided missing the elevator, skidding into each other to get on.

"Man, what was that all about?" Inuyasha demanded as he helped Katrina find a fallen hair clip.

"The manager informed me that Kagome asked us to meet her in the lobby," Sesshoumaru answered as he buttoned his jacket closed.

"Still no reason to leave us behind," Sango grumbled as she adjusted Miroku's bow tie. Sesshoumaru spared her a passing glance as the elevator doors creaked open. They walked to the desk and scanned the lobby for Kagome.

"Hey, isn't that her?" Katrina asked, tugging on Inuyasha's sleeve. Inuyasha and the others looked at the girl in interest. She stood talking to Agent Kenji, her hair hiding her face from view.

"Nah, that's not Kagome," Miroku said as he turned away. "That girl is too…feminine to be Kagome."

"But that's her!" Sango exclaimed. "Kagome!"

The girl turned around and waved, proving that she was indeed Kagome. "Woah," Miroku gasped as Kagome said goodbye to Kenji and walked toward them.

"Well, what do you guys think?" Kagome asked as she turned around. She wore a black halter dress that flowed to her ankles, with a split that reached her upper thigh on her right leg with stiletto sandals. The open back trailed off into a rhinestone triangle at her lower back.

"You look great!" Sango cried out as reached for Kagome's hair. "This style is so you!"

"Yeah well," Kagome said as she glanced at herself in a nearby mirror. Her hair cascaded in loose waves over her left shoulder, with a little partially hiding her left eye. "It's definitely different."

"Yes, it is," Sesshoumaru said as he moved past them and toward the door. "It is good that my money wasn't spent fruitlessly."

The others followed behind him to the limo and got inside.

"We're here, Mr. Takamada," the driver said as he slowed to a stop. Sesshoumaru and the others got out and approached the lobby of the business.

"Are you here for Mr. Jinuse's party?" a young woman with black hair pulled into a high bun asked.

"Yes, we are."

"I'm Kagura. Follow me please." They followed her down a hallway to a pair of gilded double doors. "Step inside and give the attendant your invitations." She turned and left them after they walked inside. An elderly man in front of another set of double doors took their invitations and instructed them to enter two at a time. As Sango and Miroku entered the ball first, Inuyasha patted Katrina's hand.

"Are you nervous?" he asked her. Katrina shook her head no. "Good, because I'm right here, ok?"

"Ok," Katrina whispered as the double doors opened. Sesshoumaru spared a glance to his side at Kagome as the doors shut and found Kagome wringing her hands.

"What is wrong?" he asked offhandedly.

"Um, I've never done this before," Kagome whispered.

"So I see. Why are you so nervous?"

"Well," Kagome started as she twiddled her fingers. "I don't want to embarrass you. If Rin were here, then she would know what to do. But since I don't…I don't want you to miss out on anything because of something I did. I probably sound pretty stupid, don't I?"

Sesshoumaru gazed down at her in masked wonder. 'She's worried about embarrassing me? How interesting. I guess it wouldn't hurt to set her mind at ease. ' "If you really are worried," Sesshoumaru said as Kagome looked up at him. "Hold onto my arm."

Kagome did so nervously. "Next?"

"Hold your head up and try not to look afraid. What did your grandfather teach you about fighting?"

"That youkai can sense your fear."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I don't know about youkai, but the same goes for people. If they think you're not supposed to be here, then that is how they'll treat you. So head up."

Kagome did as she was told yet again, trusting Sesshoumaru's judgment as he reached into his pocket.

"Maybe this will help," he said as he clasped a golden chain necklace around her throat. Kagome gasped weakly. "I can't take this," Kagome replied as Sesshoumaru smoothed her hair back into place.

"I'm not giving it to you. I will retrieve it after the ball. Are you ready?" Kagome nodded as she recaptured his arm. "If you feel uneasy, tug on my sleeve."

Kagome nodded again as the doors opened and Sesshoumaru escorted her through. She immediately steeled her face into a pleasant calm, scanning the room for a possible threat. She could see the crowd before them, with Inuyasha and Katrina on one side of the room while Sango and Miroku stood on the other near the buffet tables.

Sesshoumaru finally started their descent down the steps and into the ball, totally unfazed by what seemed to be hundreds of eyes staring at them. Kagome fought the blush that threatened to creep up on her features.

"Mr. Takamada!" An elderly man called to them as he and his wife approached. Sesshoumaru nodded in his direction before stopping to greet them. "Mr. Hayoco. It is a surprise to see you."

"Well," Mr. Hayoco said sheepishly, running his hands through his salt and pepper hair. "Jinsue made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"I'm sure he did," Sesshoumaru replied, knowing exactly what kind of 'deal' Naraku offered.

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Hayoco asked. "Surely you haven't sold your father's company?"

"I haven't," Sesshoumaru informed him coolly. "So don't worry yourself."

"Be careful Sesshoumaru," Mr. Hayoco whispered in warning. "Jinsue is more resourceful than you think."

"The hanyou doesn't scare me," Sesshoumaru told him in French. "So don't trouble yourself." Sesshoumaru shook his hand and lead Kagome away.

__

?8:00 PM?

A sudden chime from the orchestra called everyone to the center of the ball room. Sesshoumaru and Kagome ended up at the head of the crowd, with Sesshoumaru towering behind her as Naraku stood up from the mists of the orchestra. He rested his violin in his chair and approached the microphone behind the conductor.

"I would like to welcome you all at this moment to my little affair," he said with a grin, his eyes lightening on Sesshoumaru, then Kagome before traveling the crowd again. "It's truly a pleasure to have so many of you joining my happy little family, and I'm sure that all our businesses shall prosper to no end in the future. As a matter of fact, the only one here who isn't a part of me is Mr. Takamada."

Naraku smiled as the crowd turned disbelieving glances to Sesshoumaru and Kagome. "Hopefully he will change his mind about merging with my, I mean our company. To encourage his decision, I ask that he and his lovely assistant lead us into the next dance."

The crowd clapped nervously as Sesshoumaru shot Naraku an icy glare. Kagome turned to him, effectively derailing whatever comment Sesshoumaru had up his sleeve.

"What now?" she asked. Sesshoumaru glanced around and found the others watching him, wondering what his next move would be. Unbeknownst to Kagome, a good 80% of the crowd were youkai, who masked their auras just as he did. He could hear the whispers in the crowd around them, and a lot of comments weren't about him; but were about the vixen in front of him. 'Why not?' Sesshoumaru thought with a mental smirk. 'After all, it would give me a chance to show off how well I dressed my 'lovely' assistant.'

"We dance," he finally said. As he escorted her to the middle of the floor he asked "Have you danced before?"

"I took ballet until my last year of college," Kagome replied. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Then this should feel like familiar ground."

Sesshoumaru took Kagome's hand in his and spun her around without warning, stopping her so that she faced him after a complete turn. Sesshoumaru heard the gasps of awe from the crowd as Kagome's hair swirled around her like a dark cloud, and was secretly pleased with himself for that little show.

Naraku chuckled from a few inches beside them, ruining Sesshoumaru's pleasure. "Well, it seems we have a professional on our hands," he said with a smirk. "I think something slow is in order." He sat back down among the orchestra, and waited as the conductor started them off. Sesshoumaru bit back a growl at Naraku's smug expression as he and Kagome started to waltz.

Kagome tugged his sleeve, immediately regaining his attention. "What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked her, some of the anger for Naraku leaking into his voice.

"Um," Kagome said, looking down at her feet between them. "I-"

"Do not stare at your feet. Look at me."

Kagome instantly jerked her head up. "Sorry. I just feel like-"

"A hundred eyes are staring at you," he finished as the crowd moved to join them on the floor. Kagome nodded.

"That is because they are."

Kagome gulped. "Great."

"They're talking about you too," Sesshoumaru informed her. Kagome went visibly pale, her face becoming a stark contrast to the shimmering pink lip gloss on her lips. Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder to find Naraku watching them in interest. "It's all good things," Sesshoumaru comforted her, hoping to restore the color to her cheeks.

"How do you know?" Kagome asked. "Can you hear them?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No, but I can read their lips," he lied. He suddenly came up with an idea to help her. "Would you like to know what they're saying?"

"Sure!" Kagome chirped, eager to eavesdrop. Sesshoumaru twirled her around again, this time a little slower than the first time so she could see everyone around them.

"Did you see the woman in the red dress?" Kagome nodded when they resumed dancing. "Her partner has discussed you all evening. He told the woman that your hair resembled a moonless night."

"Really?" Kagome whispered, a faint blush creeping on her cheeks. "What else?"

Sesshoumaru glanced around them, his ears faintly twitching under his loose blonde hair. "There is another gentleman here discussing you with a business partner. He said something about your dress suiting you." He quirked a knowing brow at her. "And to think you protested the idea."

Kagome huffed and motioned for him to go on. Sesshoumaru continued his strange reporting until the last bars of the waltz. Sesshoumaru chose then to slowly move Kagome into a low dip, her hair tumbling over her shoulder and down her back to hover over the ballroom floor as his shifted over his shoulder like a curtain.

"So you see," Sesshoumaru whispered as Kagome stared up at him. "Your fear of embarrassing me is futile. You are the belle of the ball this evening."

Kagome blushed further as Sesshoumaru effortlessly lifted her to her feet. The crowd applauded the orchestra as Sesshoumaru lead Kagome away from them and to Inuyasha and the others, who stood waiting by one of the buffet tables.

"That was soo cool Kagome-girl!" Sango squealed as she grabbed Kagome by the wrist and started to bounce. Miroku's head seemed to bob with each spring as Sango continued. "You were so graceful and you looked like you were having so much fun!"

"Why weren't you dancing?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged. "Katrina and I did dance, but those two didn't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Girl please, so Miroku can grope every lady here and get us thrown out?" Sango said with a huff. "Or get himself beaten to a pulp by someone's husband. You know he can't keep his hands to himself."

"I just can't keep my hands off you, Sango my dear," Miroku whispered in Sango's ear as his hands went a little too far south for her liking.

Whap!

"See what I mean?" Sango exclaimed as Katrina giggled from behind her. "These people will think we're nuts."

"If they don't already," Sesshoumaru mumbled under his breath, earning a small chuckle from Kagome. She glanced around and found one of the buffet tables interesting.

"I'll be right back," she said as she walked off. Sesshoumaru gently grasped her arm and hauled her back to his side.

"Where are you going?" he asked her. Kagome blinked in surprise, then smiled. "I see something that might be good. You want anything?" she asked. Sesshoumaru looked down at her for a moment in hidden surprise. 'Is this how she looks every time she asked me that?' he wondered as he caught the genuine concern in her eyes. 'Maybe I should look up from my computer more often.'

"Are you ok, Mr. Takamada?" Kagome asked, snapping her fingers in his face. Sesshoumaru nodded, his composure rebounding before she had a chance to know it was missing.

"I am. I need nothing. Do you need me to go with you?"

Kagome shot him an 'are you serious?' glance before shaking her head. "I don't need protecting, remember?"

"Of course," Sesshoumaru replied as he released her arm. "Hurry back."

"Sure!" Kagome chirped before walking away.

"You know," Inuyasha said from behind him. Sesshoumaru turned back around to find the others smiling at him. "if I didn't know better, I'd swear you were falling for the girl."

"I do agree," Miroku said, missing the icy glare in Sesshoumaru's eyes. "But Kagome is a pretty little shelia isn't she? It would seem that our host certainly agrees, for he's abandoned his seat in the orchestra."

Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and followed Kagome's scent.

"Why hello there," said Naraku as he stepped from behind the buffet table. The others around it scrambled away as Kagome cautiously approached. "Its good to see you again Mr. Takamada's assistant. Are you ready to tell me your name now?"

"Not really," Kagome answered as she reached around him for a plate, trying to keep as much distance between them as possible. Naraku smiled and stepped in her way, knocking the plate in her hand back to the table.

"Now is that any way to treat your new boss?"

"Mr. Takamada said nothing about selling you the company, so technically, you're not my new boss."

"Ah, but that is where you're wrong my dear," Naraku cooed as he traced her jaw with his finger. "I have many ways to persuade him, as I'm sure you're aware of."

"Yes," Kagome scowled as she took a step back. "I'm fully aware. I don't think he cares."

Naraku suddenly grasped Kagome's wrists and pinned them behind her, then yanked her forward; pressing her into his chest. He leered down at her menacingly, leaning over to whisper in her ear.

"You are loyal," he whispered as his fangs emerged. He hid this behind her hair as he sniffed her. "And you smell like heaven. I'm sure Takamada doesn't know what he has. Tell me, what do you know about him?"

"What are you talking about?" Kagome wheezed, struggling to block his miasma as it attempted to assault her aura. Naraku grinned at this. "Surely you've seen him and his brother fight?"

"Well yes but-"

"Release my assistant," Sesshoumaru ordered, interrupting Kagome's question. She turned as Naraku glanced over her shoulder.

"Well hello Sesshoumaru."

"We are not so familiar Jinsue. Let go of her or I will be forced to make you."

Naraku chuckled, loosening his grip on Kagome's wrists. Kagome used this to her advantage in an instant, using her power to catapult herself backward into Sesshoumaru's waiting arms.

Naraku stood, obviously stunned at the public display of power, but wasn't nearly as stunned as Sesshoumaru as he effortless caught Kagome and crossed his arms in front of her. 'She made it look like I did it,' Sesshoumaru noticed as he glanced at Naraku. One look at him was enough to form a quick plan in his mind. 'This little woman is a lot smarter than I thought. I can use this.'

"I didn't mean to offend, Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku finally gasped, earning a strange look from Kagome. Sesshoumaru rested his chin on the crown of Kagome's head and glared at him, his eyes changing to a polished gold.

"I will not tell you this again," Sesshoumaru growled. His claws extended by Kagome's side, but Kagome didn't see it for staring at Naraku's startled expression. Sesshoumaru immediately switched to Japanese.

"You will keep your hands off what is mine."

The white in his eyes clouded with red a moment, then disappeared with the gold, leaving the hazel human eyes behind as he turned Kagome around and escorted her away from him. Kagome glanced up at him, then at Naraku as she secretly wondered 'What in the world was that all about?'

__

/12:00 Midnight/

"I don't think I can dance another step," Katrina groaned as she climbed into the back of the limo after Inuyasha. Inuyasha chuckled and pulled her inside. She tumbled off balance and landed in his lap.

"If you wanted to sit there you should have just said something," Inuyasha jeered, earning a smack in the arm as a response. Miroku and Sango climbed in and sat across from them, then Sesshoumaru waited patiently for Kagome to sit down at the back before sitting beside her.

"Are you alright Kago-girl?" Sango asked as Kagome's head lolled back against the seat. Sesshoumaru draped his arm over the back of her seat and shook his head in irritation.

"That is the result of four glasses of red wine," he informed Sango as he tipped Kagome's head forward. Kagome opened her eyes and smiled.

"I'm fine," she assured Sango with a slight slur. "Just a tad…what's the word?"

"Stone-faced drunk?" Inuyasha offered. Sango and Katrina both slapped an arm as Miroku snickered. Kagome sighed.

"Not exactly what I was going for, but enough for me," she said as she leaned back against the seat.

Sesshoumaru shrugged his tuxedo jacket off and draped it beside him, glaring at Inuyasha in annoyance. "Behave yourself, or I'll lock you in a room with Sango and Katrina and let them beat you to a-"

Thump!

Inuyasha and the others stared in complete silence, then burst out laughing at the uncharacteristically bewildered expression on Sesshoumaru's face as he stared at his lap.

Kagome, unaware in her stupor, had fallen asleep and somehow managed to fall over, face first, into Sesshoumaru's lap. Inuyasha held his sides as he slid to the floor, gasping for air.

"Now that's a way to get a bloke's attention!" Miroku squawked as the others only laughed harder. Sesshoumaru finally found enough sense to glare at them, then at Kagome as she wrapped one arm around his knees.

'How disgraceful!' he mentally grumbled as she rubbed her cheek against his knee. 'To think that this creature would just…FALL on me, as if I were her personal pillow! I should wake her up!' His gaze turned to her hair as it shifted off her shoulder and draped over his knee. Sesshoumaru sighed in feigned suffering and covered her with his jacket, not realizing that such a small act would stop the laughter around him.

'What's the harm in her staying where she is?' Sesshoumaru asked himself as he leaned back against the seat. 'Let her, then plant her butt in the easy chair as soon as we get back to the hotel. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to give her those four glasses.'

The driver pulled up to the hotel entrance a few minutes later. Sesshoumaru stepped out while Inuyasha held Kagome up, then helped Sesshoumaru pick her up and out of the limo.

"You sure you have her?" Miroku asked from inside the limo. Sesshoumaru nodded. "I have her. Take Katrina home." He gave a sharp nod toward her.

"It was an honor to meet you."

"You as well Mr. Takamada," Katrina said with a blush. Inuyasha closed the door and smirked as he rolled down the window.

"Don't you two do anything I wouldn't do," he called as the driver sped off. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, then looked down at the bundle of black and white in his arms. 'I swear, this girl should come with a warning label,' he thought with a slight frown as he walked through the lobby and to the elevator, ignoring the strange looks from the other residents, FBI and staff.

He stormed toward his room as soon as the doors opened, slamming the room door shut and marching to his bedroom. Sesshoumaru moved to toss Kagome into the easy chair but stopped before he could let her go. His arms hovered her over the seat, a serious expression on his face as he considered what to do.

'What the hell,' he thought to himself as he sat Kagome on the foot of his bed. 'I'm entitled to a whim or two. I won't even touch her.' Kagome sat up for four, maybe five seconds before she flopped backward. Sesshoumaru sighed. 'Except to take off her shoes,' he grumbled to himself as he tossed the heels to the other side of the room. Sesshoumaru sat her up again, for purely experimental reasons, only to have her flop down yet again.

"She's wasted," Sesshoumaru said, sounding suspiciously like Inuyasha as he moved to close the bedroom door. He unbuttoned his shirt and laid down beside her, glancing at her before looking up at the ceiling. "What do I do to deserve this?" he wondered aloud before falling asleep.


	11. The Whims of Men

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Eleven: The Whims of Men

__

Possession is nine-tenths of the law

-SF's Moms, after one nasty fight between SF and her brother. -

/2:15 AM/

Kagome snuggled closer to a foreign warmth as she rubbed the tip of her nose against something smooth and cool. She sighed and rubbed her nose against it again, then pressed her hands against it. 'Hmmm…how strange,' she thought to herself as she ran her hands down it to what felt like a piece of leather. 'I wonder what that is?'

Kagome opened her eyes, and nearly gasped as her sleep-fogged mind registered what could only be someone's well-built chest at the end of her nose. She glanced down at the black leather belt, then at the white shirt that seemed to nearly disappear behind what could only be Sesshoumaru. Kagome looked up and sure enough, there he was.

'How do I always end up in this man's bed?' Kagome asked as she attempted to get up. Something firm around her waist held her down. Kagome looked down at his arm just as Sesshoumaru drew her closer to him. 'Trapped like a rat,' she thought sardonically as she looked up at him again. He slept on his side facing her, with his other arm above her head. Kagome tapped his shoulder and cringed, waiting for him to respond.

He didn't.

Kagome released a shaky breath, then allowed herself to look at him. 'God, he's gorgeous in his sleep,' Kagome mused as she traced his features with her eyes.

'He kinda looks like the guy in my dream,' she concluded as she glanced at his hair, which was spread loosely around them like a moonlight veil. 'As a matter of fact,' Kagome thought as she reached up. 'If you add a blue crescent right here-' she traced a 'c' in the middle of his forehead 'and two purple stripes here' she ran two fingers along his cheek 'and fangs here' she tugged at the corners of hi-

"Aren't there laws against molesting people in their sleep?" Sesshoumaru grumbled as he cracked one eye open. Kagome blushed furiously as Sesshoumaru looked down at her. "And after I so generously shared my bed with you too."

"Speaking of which," Kagome said as she attempted to sit up, only to be held down again. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to be here."

"And why not?" Sesshoumaru asked, sleep stealing in his voice.

"For one, what if Inuyasha comes in and scares me again?"

"Door's…locked…" Sesshoumaru mumbled, slipping in and out of slumber.

"OK," Kagome trailed off, only to launch head on into the next reason. "Its not professional."

"What better way to protect me than to be near me…" Sesshoumaru concluded, stifling back a yawn.

"Well," Kagome huffed in irritation. "I can't sleep in thigh-highs. These things itch. At least let me up so I ca-"

In two quick movements they were off and tossed over Sesshoumaru's side of the bed. Kagome blushed and opened her mouth to protest further when Sesshoumaru opened his eyes.

"Go to sleep," he commanded more than said, then closed his eyes and wrapped both arms around her.

"Just shut up and go to sleep," he whispered in a gentler, sleep-fogged voice that sent shivers up and down her spine. It's my bed, yet you don't hear me complaining."

Kagome huffed again, then shrugged as she snuggled against him. 'He's stronger than I am, even in his sleep so I can't just peel him off.' She yawned again and wrapped a free arm around his waist. 'And this is pretty comfortable. We'll do this tonight, but not again.'

Kagome closed her eyes and went to sleep.

__

/6:45 AM/

Sesshoumaru took in a slow, deep breath as he slowly waded to consciousness. He inhaled again, this time a little deeper as his sleep-fogged mind listed the various scents that drifted under his nose.

'Jasmine, lavender, thunderstorms and apple blossom. Something in this room is very confused,' he thought as he opened his eyes. The sunlight streaming through his balcony doors assaulted them upon contact. Sesshoumaru mentally cursed and snapped his eyes shut, then opened them again with a little more caution.

A stray sunbeam shone over Kagome, her hair an array of midnight blue and black as she slept against him, the pink solitaire in the necklace sparkling in the light. Sesshoumaru nearly smiled back at the smile on Kagome's face, but forgot it when he found his hand in her hair. He lifted his hand to his face, studying the obsidian strands, and was more than surprised to find a few hairs of his own mingled in the silky locks. Sesshoumaru shook his head and they instantly came free, leaving only the beautiful darkness that smelled so much like jasmine and lavender.

Sesshoumaru held a lock to his nose and sniffed delicately, just in case it wasn't her smelling like this. To his relief it was, which would explain why he buried his nose in her hair in his sleep. Sesshoumaru put his hand back down and tried to gently remove it when Kagome reached up and entwined her fingers with his, effectively trapping her hair in his hand and preventing a painless escape.

"Don't leave, not yet," she mumbled in her sleep, nuzzling her nose against his hand. She squeezed her hand in his, and sighed in contentment when he squeezed back. Sesshoumaru nearly huffed in irritation. 'If anyone were to see me like this it would ruin my reputation,' Sesshoumaru thought as he gently rolled Kagome onto her stomach. She didn't protest, and didn't stir as his gaze traveled down her back.

'Besides, she's only human. Where did this fascination with her come from? I don't have time for this.' Sesshoumaru trailed one finger down her back, allowing a claw to extend as he did so. She shivered slightly from the contact, and her scent took on a spicy twist. Sesshoumaru smiled, pulled her back to her side and closer to him.

'What would it hurt to be a little kind to her, at least in private?' Sesshoumaru asked himself as he settled beside her. 'After all, I did tell Naraku that she belonged to me. So why make a liar out of myself?' He brushed a strand of hair away from Kagome's nose, then pressed the same strand to his lips. 'Its settled then. She belongs to me.' He returned the strand to its sisters and drifted off to sleep.

__

/8:23 AM/

Kagome awoke to find herself face-to-stomach with someone. 'Not that I mind,' she thought as she raised her head and looked around the room. 'It's a very nice stomach, with abs and everything. Oh God, I must still have some of the wine in my system.'

"Are you alright down there?" came a voice from above. Kagome looked at the ceiling, obviously still under the influence.

"God?"

"Not quite," came an amused voice from beside her. "But I have been told that I'm like a god. In bed anyway."

"How modest of you Mr. Takamada," Kagome groaned as she crossed her arms over his chest and stared up at him. "Don't you have work today?"

"Today is a company holiday."

"Holiday?" Kagome asked.

"Today and Friday are the anniversaries of the Tenseiga's premier and instillation in this city. Therefore a four day weekend for myself and my employees."

"Do you ever really go to work?" Kagome grumbled as she scratched her arm. Sesshoumaru ignored this. "Are you still inebriated?"

"If you mean drunk, then probably, yes," Kagome countered with a yawn.

"I think it's breakfast time, Kagome. Wake up."

"Just five more minutes," she said as she settled back on his chest, her arms draping over him. A few minutes of silence was all it took for her to fall back asleep. Sesshoumaru rested his hand on her back and sighed.

"Just five more minutes," he said with a yawn that rivaled Kagome's. "That's all you get my pet." He pulled her up the length of his body to his shoulder and rested his chin on her head. "That's all you get and no more." Sesshoumaru yawned again and went to sleep.

__

/11:05 AM/

"What bleeding time did you wake up this morning?" Miroku asked Kagome as they and Sango sat in the hallway. Kagome blushed, remembering exactly where she was and who she was with when she woke up.

"Um, I'd say at least thirty minutes ago."

Sango snickered. "Did you bother to take a shower this morning?"

"Of course I did!" Kagome huffed. 'Takamada practically threw me into the bathroom. Speaking of which-' "Have any of you seen my shower gel?"

"No why?"

"That's so odd," Kagome said as she shook her head. "I woke up this morning and it was gone. I had to use something I found under the bathroom sink. It was kinda like the stuff the girls at the spa used on me."

"I bet Takamada threw all your stuff away and replaced it with that stuff," Miroku kidded, not realizing that he was right on the money. Kagome shook her head. "Why would he do that?"

"Don't know."

"At least you slept good last night," Sango said, missing the faint blush on Kagome's cheeks as she continued. "Miroku and I spent half the night in the back of the limo."

"Did you two pull a sneak again?" Kagome scolded. Sango and Miroku shook their head aggressively. "No! No way! Inuyasha didn't come out of Katrina's until 7:03 this morning!"

"Oh no," Kagome gasped, giving them pitying looks. Miroku groaned and rubbed his back. "My poor back will never be the same! Plus Sango dug her elbow in my rear!"

"I did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

"Did-"

"Now now children," Kagome said, holding up her hands. "Let's not fight, or else its off to the corner with the both of you." She caught the lecherous look in Miroku's eye. "_Separate_ corners, Miroku." Miroku feigned a pout and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yes Mama," he and Sango said in monotone. Kagome giggled at the both of them as Inuyasha came out of his room. He stopped behind Kagome, lifted up a strand of hair and sniffed.

"How close did you sleep to Sesshoumaru last night?" he asked, getting his answer from her blush. Sango and Miroku looked at her in acute shock as Inuyasha continued.

"Didn't I tell you kids to behave yourselves?" Inuyasha scolded as he sniffed her hair again. Kagome scowled at him.

"Look who's talking. I hear you didn't behave yourself last night, you hypocrite," Kagome grumbled crossly. Inuyasha sputtered as she jerked her hair out of his hand. "After all, you kept Sango and Miroku waiting until 7. I was asleep all night long, but what were _you_ doing?"  
  
"Shut the fuck up Kagome," Inuyasha grumbled good naturedly as he walked past her and back to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. Kagome and the others giggled at his expense.

"That wasn't bad," Miroku said "But if you'd only seen the state his hair was in when he got back to the limo. He looked like-"

"Shut up Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled through his room door, effectively starting another wave of giggles. They calmed down after a few moments and settled into another problem.

"Have either of you noticed that we're all kind of wearing the same thing?" Kagome asked as she looked around. Sure enough, they were all dressed in white tank tops, with different color pairs of sweat pants.

Sango nodded in agreement. "I'm out of clean clothes."

Miroku sighed. "Me too."

"We're all out, but we can't all wash clothes at the same time. That would leave Mr. Takamada and Inuyasha unprotected. We can't take turns washing clothes because that would take too long. So what to do?"

"Why don't we play 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' like we did in the academy? Whoever loses washes everyone's clothes." Miroku suggested. Sango and Kagome nodded in agreement and thrust their hand forward.

"Ready?" he asked them. They nodded. "Ok. Only one round. One…two…three!"

A moment of silence then

"Oh crap!"

"Hurray!"

"I like my pants starched," Miroku said to the loser as he went and retrieved his clothes.

__

/1:45 PM/

Kagome grumbled as she tossed the last of Miroku's load in the dryer. 'Damn it!' she grumbled as she used a pair of tongs to retrieve a pair of boxers out of a crack of the washing machine. 'Why did I have to pick scissors! That was so dumb! And they both picked rock! Agggg!' She slammed the dryer door closed and huffed. 'At least Miroku's clothes are done. He can fold them by himself.' She tossed the first of Sango's three loads in next, then leaned against the dryer.

"I didn't know there was a laundry mat on the premises."

Kagome whirled around, then sighed in relief as Agent Kenji walked inside. "Oh hi. How are you?"

"I'm pretty good. How are you?"

"I'm alright," Kagome said as Agent Kenji leaned against the wall nearest her.

"How was the ball?" he asked as he started to pick at his nails.

"It was alright," Kagome said as she tossed another of Sango's loads into a nearby washer. "Nothing really bad happened."

"That's good to know." He stood up and walked to her side, a small smirk on his face. "I meant to tell you," he said as he stopped beside her, resting his hand against the wall. "that you looked great in that dress."

"Uh, thanks," Kagome said uneasily. Every alarm in her body was going off, including the butterflies as she took in his position. He had her trapped, with no immediate escape unless she wanted to leap over the washers in front of her. He leaned over and tipped her head up. The golden chain around her neck glimmered, capturing his attention.

"What's this?" he asked, picking up the pink solitaire in his index and thumb. "You didn't have this yesterday."

"I know," Kagome said, trying not to stutter in her nervousness. "I didn't get it until we got to the ball."

"Mr. Takamada gave this to you?" Agent Kenji said more than asked. Kagome shook her head. "No. I have to give it b-"

"So you're that kind of girl, huh?" Kenji said with a frown. Kagome scowled up at him, forgetting her nervousness in the situation.

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" she demanded. Kenji shrugged. "You're a gold digger."

"What the hell-" Kagome sputtered. "You don't know a thing about me, so what makes you think you can sit there and sa-"

"I should report you, but I think I'll give you a chance to get out of it," Kenji said with a coy smile.

Kagome glared daggers at him. "There's nothing for me to get out of."

"Of course there is. You're screwing your charge."

"I am NOT!! You can't just go around saying that kind of-"

"I won't tell if you'll share the bastard's money with me."

"What. Are. You. Talking. About?" Kagome growled, mentally pushing back her powers. Kenji started to laugh as he answered her.

"I say you and I become partners. You screw him out of his money, then give me half. We can have a physical relationship if you want."

"You know what?" Kagome snarled, attempting to shove past him. "Go right ahead and report me, so I can tell your superiors about what you just said." When he wouldn't let her past she sighed and attempted to calm down.

"Besides, if I were screwing him, which I'm not but for the sake of this argument, he's entirely too smart to be duped by some girl. And if I were screwing him, which again I'm NOT-" Kagome said, her voice getting louder by the syllable. "I wouldn't screw him over for a two-faced jerk like YOU. NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!!!" She shoved Kenji to the side and hurriedly moved past him to the door.

"You're not going anywhere," Kenji snapped. He grabbed Kagome's ponytail and flung her back against the wall with a loud thump. Kagome winced when the back of her head collided with the wall, fighting the stars in her vision as she glared at him.

"Let go of me," she growled lowly, closing her eyes. Behind her lids, her eyes started to glow purple. Kenji laughed again and put his hand on her stomach.

"Why should I?" he whispered huskily as he slowly raised her shirt. "You didn't fight Takamada, so you shouldn't fight me." He leaned over and kissed her earlobe, tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue. "Unless you don't want to keep your job."

Agent Kenji was suddenly grabbed from behind and flung across the room. Kagome opened her eyes, the whites completely purple beneath her blue-gray pupils as she thumped to the ground. Sesshoumaru kneeled before her, then reached down, picked her up and sat her on top of one of the washing machines.

Agent Kenji stood up and dabbed at his split lip. "Well, here you are at last. Who would imagine the protected would need to protect his protector?"

"Shut up and get out," Sesshoumaru warned, barely restraining his humanoid form. "Leave this hotel and do not come back for threat to your career. And threat of your life."

"Don't you know that's illegal," Agent Kenji jeered as he stepped closer to them. "Didn't your little bed warmer tell you that-"

Smack!

Sesshoumaru backhanded Agent Kenji, sending him right back over the washing machines. When he stood up again, his eyes glowed a fire cat red.

"How dare you."

"How dare you," Sesshoumaru countered. Kagome watched this in awe, the purple purity inside her itching to get out. Sesshoumaru sensed this and held firm to his human form, knowing that it would be the only protection he would have if Kagome lost control. He allowed only his senses to sharpen as Agent Kenji glared at him.

"Don't make me say it again. Leave and don't come back. Surely you recognize the glow in the young lady's eyes behind me."

Kenji glanced behind Sesshoumaru and gasped when Kagome's purple-clouded vision rested on his. He started to back away, the red in his eyes bleeding away to the natural brown.

"Don't come back, or else she'll purify you. Now that we know what you are, we know what to use against you. Quit the FBI and move to another country Kenji."

Kenji grumbled something under his breath, then left without further incident. Sesshoumaru turned back to Kagome and rested his hand on her shoulder. The purple immediately faded, leaving a teary-eyed Kagome behind.

"Thanks," she whispered shakily. "I don't know what would have happened-"

"You would have purified him into a nasty purple goo," Sesshoumaru assured her as he hugged her. He held her head against his chest, allowing her to take comfort in the beating of his heart. "It's ok. Don't cry."

"Who said I would cry?" Kagome asked defiantly as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Oh hell," she groaned as another fell, then another as if of their own accord. "I am going to cry."

"Its perfectly fine," Sesshoumaru assured her, taking the time to enjoy the way she clung to him for dear life. "Someone should have come down here with you."

"Why didn't I know?" Kagome asked herself. "Why didn't I sense his youki?"

"I don't know. I wish I did," Sesshoumaru lied, stroking her hair to calm her down. 'He probably has a sealing spell like I do, that keeps her from detecting our youki.' He looked down on her as he continued to pet her, watching as silent tears rolled down her cheek. 'I don't like this at all. I won't have her so upset. I will arrange with Ah and Un for Kenji's disposal.'

Kagome calmed down and looked up at him. "Thank you Mr. Takamada. I really appreciate that. I don't think I could have handled a purple gooey mess."

"Not a problem," Sesshoumaru said as he brushed a tear away. "We can't have you upset now, can we?" Kagome sighed and hugged him again, reveling in his warmth as Sesshoumaru switched to Italian.

"No one will hurt you, not as long as you belong to me," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head.

Kagome started, blinking owlishly as he leaned over and nuzzled her neck. After a while he stiffened and straightened up.

"I must be leaving you Kagome," Sesshoumaru said suddenly, reverting back to English. "I will send Sango to look after you."

"Wait a moment!" Kagome called after him as he walked out the door. "What in the hell?" Kagome sighed and flopped down into one of the hard plastic laundry room chairs. "I need a bloody vacation, and I've only been on this case a week and a half."

Sesshoumaru quickened his pace down the hallway to the outside door. He immediately stepped outside and drew in deep, cleansing breaths as he scowled. 'Just great,' he complained to himself, trying to relax his tense muscles. 'Just fucking great! That's why Kenji attacked her! She's in heat!' He slammed his fist into the nearest wall, creating a decent sized hole in the concrete. 'Shit!'


	12. Progress Reports

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twelve: Progress Reports

__

/Three months later/

From: Marshal Kagome Higurashi at stakamada.wct

To: Sergeant Kaede Milstrome at {SF: Not a real email address.}

Date: Thursday, October 08, 2003 10:45 PM EST

Re: Three Month Progress Report

Things have calmed since the first week. Takamada and Hitame no longer fight, and Marshal Taijia and I are slowly adjusting to the normal office day.

"Kagome?"

Kagome glanced over her shoulder. "I'm coming. Just give me a second."

There have been at least 9 assassination attempts; with five on Takamada, three on Hitame and one bomb threat to the entire hotel. Marshal Taijia discovered and disarmed the bomb before it could endanger any lives.

RECOMMENDATION: A metal for Marshal Taijia.

"Kagome?"

"I said I'm coming!" Kagome growled over her shoulder at the study door. "Jeez, find some patience will you?"

Three more Tenseigas have been either destroyed or stolen. The FBI are currently investigating the incidents.

I have filed a sexual harassment report on Agent Terrance Kenji, but the case has been suspended due to his disappearance. He has been missing for over three months. His car was found yesterday in Nevada,

abandoned.

"If you don't come out this instant, I'm coming in."

"I said wait a minute," Kagome growled. "I'm almost finished!"

On a personal note, the only thing that is off is Takamada himself. For most of our investigation, he insists that I stay near him, but for one week every month he insists that I trade with Miroku or Sango at the hotel. During this week he keeps me in and out of the office with useless errands. It is rather confusing and I keep forgetting to ask why.

End Report

"Well, since you won't come to me, I guess I'll have to come and get you," Sesshoumaru said seconds before he came into the room. He scooped Kagome up from the computer and flung her over his shoulder as he walked back out the door.

"Wait!" Kagome squealed as she struggled to get free. She brushed her hair to the side and fumbled for the 'send' button. "I have to send this!"

"Do it tomorrow," Sesshoumaru said as he moved to close the laptop.

"If its late, I get called back to do the report in person!"

Sesshoumaru stopped, considering this a moment before giving a shrug. "Then I guess I should send this then." He pressed the send button, closed the laptop and walked out of the study.

"Put me down Takamada," Kagome huffed as he opened the bedroom door.

"If you insist."

"Eeeeeek!" Kagome squealed as she sailed through the air. She landed on the bed with a thump, looking as cross as she could at an abnormally playful Sesshoumaru. "Are you nuts? What's your problem?"

"I politely asked you to come here, and you ignored me. So I decided that maybe polite wasn't the best way to ask you. This seemed to work much better." He sat down beside her as Kagome continued to scowl at him.

"You're a jerk," she grumbled. "Now what can I do for you?"

"It is time you went to sleep," Sesshoumaru said as he pushed her under the covers. Kagome shook her head and stood up.

"No. I don't know where you got this idea from, but I'm not sleeping with you again," Kagome growled as Sesshoumaru settled under the covers and slowly tugged her to him.

"I said no," Kagome grumbled as Sesshoumaru pulled the covers over her.

"Can't you hear?" she asked. Sesshoumaru still said nothing as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Takamada, I said no."

"You can't honestly tell me that you enjoy sleeping in that easy chair," Sesshoumaru finally said as he closed his eyes. "Or do you?"

"I don't but-"

"But nothing. Go to sleep."

Kagome sighed irritably, ready to protest further when Sesshoumaru nuzzled her neck with his nose, rested his head on her shoulder and went to sleep. "For the love of God," Kagome complained. She reached back and absently scratched behind Sesshoumaru's ear, earning something like a purr in response. 'May as well get some sleep, since Mr. Death-Grip won't let go until morning. Do we have to do this every night? I wonder if he'd let me up if I had to go to the bathroom.' Kagome giggled softly at the idea and went to sleep.

__

/Inuyasha's Journal Entry/

10/15/03

I'm starting to believe that Naraku's threat to our company may have been a blessing in disguise. How else would such changes come to pass in my life, and in my brother's life, without it? After all, my childhood with the cold and emotionless taiyoukai wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it wasn't as good as it could have been either.

After Father's death, Sesshoumaru took full responsibility for my mother and I, even though I knew he

didn't like the idea very much. We never knew how Father died, we just kinda took Sesshoumaru's word for it, since he wasn't one for those kinds of games. After Mother died, Sesshoumaru still looked after me. He stopped me from nearly shaming the family by chasing after the Shikon no Tama, to which now I don't regret. The jewel brought nothing but pain and death to whoever touched it, including the hanyou that chased the miko that protected it. The miko killed the hanyou before she passed on.

Inuyasha sighed deeply, remembering the face of the hanyou stuck to the tree by the miko's arrow. 'It could have been me, if it weren't for Sesshoumaru.'

Soon our days in the Feudal Era went by swiftly, and we traveled to parts of the world that humans didn't know existed yet. We arrived in America 100 years ago, and Sesshoumaru started the company 40 years after. 'After all,' he once said, 'If we must live like the humans, then we must live as the best of them.'

Then I met Kikyou.

'Kikyou,' Inuyasha sighed, then gazed out the balcony doors. 'How I miss you.'

Kikyou was the first human to find out about what we are, and she accepted me, loved me, even married me despite what Sesshoumaru said about her. Sesshy hated her with a passion, and swore she only wanted to use me for the family's money. We argued many days about her before she-

Inuyasha bowed his head, then decided to leave that sentence alone.

Now Naraku is trying to take what he's spent so much time creating. And somehow, in that cloud there's the proverbial silver lining.

For me, it's in the form of three marshals and a men's store clerk with steel gray eyes. Miroku, the poor lech, is just like another brother to me. We talk about all kinds of things, where Sesshoumaru is all steel and cold and shrewdness. Miroku knows how to play a killer game of chess too.

Sango, the older female marshal, has a big heart and looks after me like an older sister. We argue constantly, but in a way its funny to see her so riled up. She's getting the hang of office work, and I've told her if she ever needed a job to come and work for me. Myouga loves her too, but that old flea loves everyone.

Then there's Katrina, the store clerk I ran into. She's so…

Inuyasha turned and smiled at the covered form on his bed.

So intriguing, and beautiful. She's funny, smart and witty to a fault, not unlike Kikyou. Sometimes I feel guilty for what I have with Katrina and wish I could talk to Kikyou, but somehow I think she's with me. I think she'd approve of Katrina, even though Sesshoumaru doesn't. He said something about not getting a scent off her, but I don't seem to have that problem. She smells like the sugar cane fields that are in Central America and clothes left to dry in the sunshine. Speaking of Sesshoumaru…

Inuyasha grinned, then turned around. Finding the form still sleeping, he turned back to his laptop and started typing again.

It would seem that the third marshal, Kagome, is having an effect on him. Kagome is like the girl next door, you know the one that you dream about marrying when you grow up? Yeah, this is her. She's always smiling and laughing, even when Sango and Miroku pull their 'sneaks'. I finally made Miroku tell me what that meant, and when I found out I thought that I'd die laughing. That fits Sango and Miroku perfectly!

Kagome is even tempered, and the nicest miko I've ever met. Yup, you heard right, she's a miko. She's not one of those that want to just immediately purify a youkai either. She actually wants to save the world, if you can believe it. The girl herself is amazing, but the effect she's having on old Stone Face is remarkable.

Sesshoumaru's not as stuffy as he used to be. Where at one time he'd sit in his office fully dressed, you can now come in and find her loosening his tie or hiding his suit jacket from him. That's the greatest part of the day, seeing him grumbling down the halls about wenches stealing his stuff as he searches the entire building. Kagome gives it back to him at the end of the day, but Sesshoumaru has yet to find it on his own. And I never knew until her that he even _owned_ a pair of suspenders, no less wore them. I think I'll get him a pair for Christmas.

He keeps her away from him when she goes into heat, which is funnier still. You can see how badly Kagome wants to ask why, but she holds her tongue and does like he says. She still manages to protect him though, so you have to give the girl something for her diligence. Kouga is attached to her like a leach, always asking her out on dates and begging Sesshoumaru to let her have a day off so she could go. I believe that if Kagome really were his assistant, he'd lock her in his office and away from Kouga at all times. Kouga really tries when she's in heat, and you can almost swear you can hear Sesshoumaru growling threats in the hallway.

Oh yeah, Sesshoumaru and I don't fight anymore. When we try, Kagome breaks Sesshoumaru's containment spell and levitates us until we calm down. We have no choice but to talk to each other like 'civilized people' since Kagome doesn't like it when we yell either. I can't wait to hear how she behaves when they go to Seattle tomorrow for the instillation of the new Tenseiga

"Are you almost finished?"

Inuyasha looked back at his bed and smiled. "Almost Katrina. I'm coming."

"M'kay." He heard Katrina yawn, then fall back asleep.

I have to tell you what I saw a week ago! I woke up a little early last Monday, I think about 5:00, and went to Sesshoumaru's room to discuss something. I got as far as his bedroom door and couldn't get it open. I couldn't break the containment spell on it either. Since Kagome sleeps in there too, I started to wonder what was going on so I did like any curious youkai would do: went back in my room to my balcony and climbed off it, over the roof and to Sesshoumaru's balcony. When I finally landed, I nearly burst out laughing.

There was Sesshoumaru, wrapped around Kagome's back like a baby pup with his nose in her hair. I knew they argued a lot lately, but I didn't think as to why until then. I stole onto the balcony the next night a little before they went to bed and hid. It turns out that they don't do anything, but he insists that she sleep beside him instead of in the easy chair. Sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night and just looks at her like she's some kind of angel or something.

You know, I think Sesshoumaru loves her, but doesn't want to admit it to himself. He's so…well, _kind_ toward her when he thinks no one's looking, and he has this look in his eye when she approaches. He looks up from his work when she asks a question, something he never did toward anyone other than Rin. It's good for ol' Stick in the Mud to have some love in his life, and I hope he admits it to himself soon.

I want nieces and nephews damn it! Is that so wrong?

"Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha smiled, saved, closed his laptop and headed for bed. "Sorry about that," he whispered as he kissed Katrina's cheek. She smiled and turned to face him, patting his cheek lovingly.

"It's no problem. You've kept that journal for how long?"

"For at least four years," Inuyasha said as he kissed her forehead. Katrina smiled back. "Then I can wait. It's worth it, in my opinion."

Inuyasha draped his arms around her and went to sleep. He nuzzled his face in Katrina's hair as she looked at him.

'Oh no,' Katrina thought as Inuyasha kissed her shoulder blade in his sleep. 'I'm not supposed to fall for him. Naraku isn't going to be happy in the least!'


	13. Crash!

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Thirteen: Crash!

/10:45 AM, Tuesday/

"Would you hurry up?" Kagome called as she leaned against the bedroom doorway. Sesshoumaru glanced at her, then reached inside his closet for another trench coat.

"Do you really need all that stuff?" she huffed as she peered inside the suitcase. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in feigned innocence.

"It's not a lot," he said in defense. "And you can't talk about keeping someone waiting. You stay in the shower for at least an hour and a half."

"Well, if a certain man wouldn't shove me into the shower when I'm half asleep, maybe it wouldn't take me so long!"

"How's it hanging, people?" Inuyasha said as he entered the room, totally unnoticed as Kagome continued to rant. Inuyasha smiled and sat down in the neglected easy chair.

"And another thing, where in the hell is my shower gel going?"

"What shower gel?" Sesshoumaru asked as he tossed a pair of slacks into the suitcase.

"You know what shower gel! My shower gel! The stuff that's under the bathroom sink one day, and gone the next! You know, that shower gel! Where is it?"

"Like I know where that cheap smelling stuff is," Sesshoumaru countered as he searched under the bed for a missing cufflink. 'Since that girl's been here, my stuff seems to walk off on its own,' he thought as he felt around the darkness. Kagome watched him from above, her right eye twitching rapidly. Inuyasha grinned and sat back, readying himself for the damage and destruction that was to come.

"Cheap…smelling…STUFF!!!" Kagome screeched, her hands balling up at her sides. Sesshoumaru stood back up and flicked a glance at her before searching the nightstand.

"That's what I sai-"

"You JERK!" Kagome interrupted, her hands twitching at her sides. "That's Victoria's Secret! Do you know how much that stuff costs?"

"I really don't care."

"Oooooo…I bet you throw it away, you control freak!!!!"

"I do no such thing. Why should I care what you smell like?" Sesshoumaru said as he opened a dresser drawer. 'Where is that damned cufflink?' he wondered as Kagome glared at him. She opened her mouth to speak again when-

"I agree," Inuyasha interrupted. Kagome whirled on him, pure malice glowing in her eyes.

"What was that?"

Inuyasha smiled as he straightened his tie. "I agree with Sesshoumaru. Why should he care what you smell like? I mean, it's not like you two sleep together or something."

Kagome blushed as Sesshoumaru glared at Inuyasha over his shoulder. "What?" Inuyasha mouthed as Kagome turned away from him.

"How much longer are you going to be?" she asked as Sesshoumaru opened another drawer.

"Not much longer. I just have to find my other cufflink."

"This one?" Kagome asked as she stooped down beside the easy chair and picked up a cufflink with a diamond stud in the middle. Sesshoumaru mentally groaned as she deposited the cufflink in his hand. "This is it. Thank you Kagome."

"You're welcome. Now stop throwing out my shower gel."

"I don't throw out-" Sesshoumaru sighed and rubbed the space between his eyes with his middle and index finger. 'This girl can get on my nerves like no other being alive, including Inuyasha,' he mused as she turned away from him. "Where is your suitcase?"

"In the living room."

"Go get it. I would like to discuss something with Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru told her. Kagome nodded and left the room, shooting them her 'Be nice' look before walking out. Sesshoumaru glared at Inuyasha as he smiled up at him.

"Yes, Fluffy?"

"Are you peeking through my window?" Sesshoumaru asked. Inuyasha shrugged. "Maybe. After all, its not every day that a guy steps on the Lord of the Western Land's balcony and finds him wrapped around a little miko as if his life depended on it."

"You didn't take pictures, did you?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Nah. The mental picture is enough for me."

Sesshoumaru nearly rolled his eyes as Kagome came in with a red rolling suit case. Sesshoumaru winced as she stopped it at the edge of his bed.

"What is that monstrosity?" he asked her. Kagome huffed. "It's my suitcase!"

"It's ugly."

"What's so ugly about it?" she demanded. Sesshoumaru leaned down for the zipper pull and glanced up at her.

"You mean, other than the fact that it screams 'Wal-Mart'?"

"Oooooo!"

"Did I say how nice you look Kagome," Inuyasha interrupted again. Kagome blushed, then turned to him.

"Thank you Inuyasha. It seems your brother has some things to learn from you about how to treat a lady."

Sesshoumaru huffed as Inuyasha snickered. 'She does look rather nice,' Sesshoumaru mused to himself as he glanced over her black turtleneck and the tan wide-legged pants. 'She looks almost…civilized.'

"Where are the rest of your things?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"In the other room."

"Go get them."

Kagome came back a few minutes later, holding a matching red train case and a make-up bag. "Now what do you want with these?" she asked as she plunked them on the bed. Sesshoumaru walked to the closet, pulled out one of his suitcases, grabbed Kagome's suitcase and proceeded to dump all of the contents. Kagome gaped in astonishment as he shook her suitcase over his.

"What are you doing?!" she hollered as Sesshoumaru tossed her make-up and train case into the suitcase and zipped it shut.

"I said that monstrosity wasn't coming with me and its not."

"But that's MY suitcase! You can't tell me what to do with MY suitcase!"

"You know, you two sound like you're married!" Inuyasha wheezed. Kagome instantly quieted as Sesshoumaru glared at him over Kagome's head. Inuyasha shrugged and stepped to the side as Sesshoumaru and Kagome walked past him, Kagome dragging the suitcase Sesshoumaru 'gave' her behind them the entire way to the elevator. Sesshoumaru sat down his suitcase and brief case and glared at Inuyasha as the elevator doors closed.

"Behave yourself Inuyasha," Kagome called as she waved to him and Sango and Miroku. "You two!" she said to them. "No sneaks!"

"Awwww!" Miroku groaned as Sango whapped him upside the head.

"Don't allow the company to go under while I'm away," Sesshoumaru warned. Inuyasha grinned innocently. "You'll only be away for three days. What could happen?"

"He had to say that, didn't he?" Kagome groaned as her suitcase fell over and the elevator doors closed.

__

/12:23 PM, The Airport/

"Wait up Takamada!" Kagome called as she half ran/half dragged herself and her suitcase behind Sesshoumaru. He flicked a glance back at her, then continued on his way. He did slow down a little, much to Kagome's relief. Sesshoumaru walked up to one of the gates, where Kouga and a petite woman with shoulder-length blonde hair sat waiting. Kouga turned around as soon as he found Kagome's scent, tapping the woman on the shoulder as he stood up.

"Hello Kagome!" Kouga said as he kissed Kagome's hand. Kagome blushed, ignoring the glare Sesshoumaru was sending toward Kouga.

"Hello Mr. Tarentino."

"Just Kouga, Kagome. How often do I have to remind you?"

"Sorry about that. Who's she?" Kagome asked as she motioned toward the woman. She stepped forward, shaking Kagome's hand with an eager smile.

"Hi! I'm Sutaasafaia, Mr. Tarentino-" Kouga elbowed her in the side "I mean, Kouga's assistant."

"I'm Kagome. Great to meet you. This is Mr. Takamada."

"Hi," Sutaasafaia said, reaching out to shake Sesshoumaru's hand. Sesshoumaru glared at it for a moment, then walked past them through the gate to the plane. Kagome shrugged as she, Sutaasafaia and Kouga followed Sesshoumaru down the ramp.

"Ignore him," Kagome told Sutaasafaia as they entered the plane. "He's pissed off at me, not like I care. How long have you worked for Kouga?"

"I just started a week ago," Sutaasafaia said sheepishly. "What exactly does WCT do?"

"You mean you don't know?"

Sutaasafaia shook her head as Kagome looked ahead to make sure Sesshoumaru and Kouga hadn't left them behind. "As far as I know of, they're an education/medical technology company."

"I know that," Sutaasafaia replied as she lowered her voice. "I mean, what kind of projects are we working on?"

"Oh," Kagome scratched her head thoughtfully. "The only thing I know of is the Tenseiga, you know, the portable surgical lasers?"

Sutaasafaia nodded. "Yeah, I've heard of those. Aren't we working on a new satellite or something?"

Sesshoumaru glared over his shoulder at them suddenly, earning a strange look from Kouga. Kouga turned toward the two, trying to see what would warrant such a violent look. When he turned back around, Sesshoumaru's attention was ahead of him once again as Kagome finally answered.

"No, I haven't heard of anything like that. Why?"

Sutaasafaia shrugged. "Just wondering. Um, by the way, I was wondering-"

"Yeah?"

"If I ever get lost at the office-"

"If you see me, don't hesitate to stop me and ask where to go," Kagome reassured her with a pat on the shoulder as they boarded the same plane she and her fellow marshals flew on months ago. "I remember when I started. I got lost all the time!"

Sutaasafaia smiled and nodded in thanks as she and Kagome walked to the back of the plane.

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome and Sutaasafaia put up their attachés and strapped themselves in their seats. 'Why would she ask about satellites?' he wondered as he and Kouga strapped themselves in. 'What would even make her _think_ to ask such a question?'

The plane took off moments later. Kagome showed Sutaasafaia around the plane as Sesshoumaru and Kouga discussed work.

"You do know that it's unfair that you only have to be in Seattle for three days, while I have to be there for three months, right Takamada?" Kouga complained as he scanned over his briefcase. Sesshoumaru shrugged and pulled his laptop out of his.

"That is not my problem. You're over employee services. That means you must hire them as well."

"But for me to have to _go_ to Seattle to hire them?" Kouga countered. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you…." Kouga drawled off, with a knowing smile on his face. Sesshoumaru glanced over his laptop to him, a quirked eyebrow to suggest his curiosity over the forgotten statement.

"You don't want me in the office, do you?" Kouga asked as he leaned against the back of the chair. He started to laugh, the second person to laugh at Sesshoumaru since this morning. Sesshoumaru glared at him in annoyance before returning to surfing the web. Kouga sighed and shook his head.

"You're afraid that the little minx will choose me over you, aren't you?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head, not bothering to look up as he clicked onto the company website. "I don't care what she does."

"Sure," Kouga said, glancing to the back of the cabin at her. Kagome and Sutaasafaia were currently giggling about something in the kitchen area, her dark hair flowing from the ponytail over her shoulder. "You're not interested. And I'm merely human."

Sesshoumaru snapped the laptop shut with a small click and put it on the table beside him. "Why should I care what she does, since you insist on this line of conversation ?"

Kouga smiled, leaning toward Sesshoumaru like a co-conspirator as he scandalously whispered "I'm not saying that you should, but I think you do." He glanced at Kagome again as she reached inside one of the upper compartments. "I don't blame you. After all, she is quite beautiful for a human."

"Your new assistant is too, but you don't see me running after her when I should be working," Sesshoumaru countered. Kouga considered this before ignoring it completely.

"Such long legs, beautiful eyes and long, dark hair. She's graceful too, like she dances or something. I'm sure she's inspired a few love-sick poems in her day."

"I'm sure she has," Sesshoumaru said dryly, glancing at Kagome as she strapped her sheath to her arm. "I however, am no poet."

"Yeah yeah," Kouga muttered. "I'm not either, but I bet if she frequented my office long enough, I'll become one. I'm struck by the muse of love right now-"

"You mean the muse of lust," Sesshoumaru interrupted, looking to end this conversation as soon as possible so he could get back to work.

Kouga smiled. "I don't think so. I think she's a goddess, fallen from heaven to grace the poor mortals with her presence. Us too, by the way."

Sesshoumaru did roll his eyes at this as Kouga continued. "She smells different too, like jasmine, lavender, apple blossoms and thunderstorms. Absolutely beautiful, if you don't mind me saying."  
  
"I couldn't care less," Sesshoumaru grumbled, rubbing his temples with the pads of his fingers. Kouga's comments were bringing out the possessive, predatory side of him, and he was almost positive that the two humans on the plane with them wouldn't appreciate him flinging Kouga off.

'Even though he'd survive it, and it would be justified,' Sesshoumaru thought with a groan. Kouga continued, completely obvious to the murderous turn of Sesshoumaru's thoughts.

"Does she know that you're youkai?" Kouga asked. Sesshoumaru shook his head no. Kouga sighed. "I wonder what she'll do if she found out?" Kouga suddenly grinned. "You know, she might pick me for real, now that I think about it."

"What are you babbling about?" Sesshoumaru growled. If it was one thing he couldn't stand, it was babbling. It irked his nerves like no other…except the miko officer on the plane with him.

"Wolves are better than dogs, remember? At least in the bedroom."

Sesshoumaru nearly snapped, deciding in that moment that it would be worth it to toss Kouga out the plane when someone cleared her throat. Sesshoumaru turned, not exactly surprised to find Kagome and Sutaasafaia glaring at them. Kagome tilted her head to the side as Sutaasafaia spoke up.

"Are you starting trouble again, Kouga?" Sutaasafaia asked as she sat down beside him. Kouga shook his head no as Kagome sat down beside Sesshoumaru.

"I don't think that's the truth, do you Kagome?"

"Nu-uh," Kagome said as she patted Sesshoumaru's arm, instantly calming him down. "I don't think Mr. Takamada would look like that for no good reason."

"Why Kagome, Sutaasafaia, don't you two trust my word?" Kouga said as Kagome stood up and walked behind Sesshoumaru's chair.

"No, not really," Sutaasafaia replied as Kagome started to massage Sesshoumaru's shoulders. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and relaxed under her ministrations.

"Don't you want something to drink, instead of aggravating people?" Sutaasafaia asked. Kouga watched Sesshoumaru enviously, then decided that a drink would be good right about now.

"Sure, how about a gin and tonic?"

"Alright," Sutaasafaia replied, moving from her seat to Inuyasha's bar in the front of the cabin. Kagome gently nudged Sesshoumaru forward, working down his back as something like a purr rose from his throat.

"You know, he does that every time I do this," Kagome mused aloud as she reached Sesshoumaru's lower back. "Maybe you should try it, Sutaasafaia."

"Sure," Sutaasafaia said as she gave Kouga his drink. "Maybe he'll behave himself for a change."

"You two are ganging up on me," Kouga grumbled good naturedly as Sutaasafaia moved behind him. He slumped forward as Sutaasafaia began his massage. Kagome giggled quietly as Kouga started to purr as well.

"Well, there's something they have in common," Sutaasafaia mused. Kagome's giggle nearly got the best of her. The plane suddenly lurched forward, drawing Sesshoumaru and Kouga out of their musings.

"What was that?" Kouga asked as Sesshoumaru patted Kagome's hand.

"I don't know, but I'll go see," Kagome said as she moved to the front of the plane. She disappeared behind the cockpit door, only to come out moments later, pale as a sheet.

"What's wrong?" Sutaasafaia asked as Kagome peered back in the cockpit one more time. She nodded to herself, then turned around to face them.

"We don't have a pilot."

"WHAAAAAT?!!!!!"

"We. Don't. Have. A. _PILOT!!!!!" _Kagome said as she scrambled toward the back of the plane.

"What do you mean we don't have a pilot?!" Sutaasafaia asked as Kagome tossed her attaché to her.

"Exactly what I said," Kagome told her as she draped her attaché over her shoulder. "We don't have a pilot."

"Well, where is he?" Kouga demanded as Kagome dragged him, Sutaasafaia and Sesshoumaru to the back of the plane. Sesshoumaru hastily grabbed his suitcase as Kagome held his hand.

"As far as I know, already on the ground," Kagome answered before grabbing Sutaasafaia's hand. "Now grab Sutaasafaia's hand."

"Why not call Miroku?" Sesshoumaru asked. "You said he could pilot anything."  
  
"He can, as long as it has fuel. That's something we're lacking."

"We don't have any fuel either!" Sutaasafaia exclaimed, her blue eyes wide in disbelief.

"Yup, no fuel."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Kouga said out loud.

"Crash, as far as I know of," Sesshoumaru said calmly, earning glares all around. Kagome sighed in aggravation.

"Just hold on," Kagome said. "And don't let go, no matter what,"

The others agreed as the plane plummeted toward earth. Kagome instantly raised a shield around them, then searched the plane with her mind's eye. There was a bomb on the right wing of the plane, with only seconds until detonation.

'Man, I wish Sango and Miroku were here,' Kagome thought as the bomb exploded, ripping off a side of the plane. Another bomb exploded on the left, removing that side as well as the bomb under the pilot's seat detonated.

Sutaasafaia gasped as a fireball flooded what was left of the cabin, surging around them and engulfing the rest of the plane in flames. The fire licked at their sphere hungrily, waiting for any sigh of weakness as it burned through the carpet and the chairs. Sesshoumaru groaned as one of the bottles of liquor exploded.

"There goes my Pinot Noir."

Sutaasafaia and Kouga gaped at him in astonishment as Kagome's eyes blazed purple. "You can't be serious," Sutaasafaia exclaimed. "We're moments away from death, and you're worried about a bottle of wine!"

"That's good win-"

Kagome gave an ear-splitting yawn, capturing Sesshoumaru's attention and effectively shutting him up.

"Are you ok Kagome?" he asked as the others looked on in confusion. Kagome nodded, yawing again. The shield wavered, then reinforced itself in a matter of seconds. The entire front half of the plane suddenly fell away, leaving Sesshoumaru and the others hurtling toward earth in half a plane. Kagome yawned yet again…

And the shield wavered, then broke as Kagome slipped into unconsciousness.


	14. Crash! Part II

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Fourteen: Crash! Part II

'I knew I shouldn't have played yesterday,' Kagome thought through the fog in her mind as her world darkened around her.

Sesshoumaru and the others immediately plummeted toward the ground, the shield only a pleasant memory.

They fell a few feet before Sutaasafaia reacted first. She suddenly stopped falling, a small blue cloud forming under her feet. She glanced down at the others as they continued to fall.

Kouga looked at Sesshoumaru, then shrugged as he attempted to stop his fall. He only succeeded in slowing down as he disappeared in the trees below. Sesshoumaru sighed, then reached for Kagome as she fell past him. He grabbed her just before she disappeared in the trees behind Kouga, then used his cloud to break his fall. Sutaasafaia landed on the ground softly beside him.

Kouga landed in a nearby tree, his stomach connecting to a rather large branch. He groaned again as he leaped down to them.

"You didn't tell me you were youkai!" Kouga accused. Sutaasafaia shrugged. "You didn't ask."

"As this is all well and good, we should really get to more important matters," Sesshoumaru interrupted as his tail snaked around Kagome's shivering form. She snuggled closer to him in her stupor, an action Sesshoumaru still wondered about as Kouga stared at her in amazement.

"She's a miko, isn't she?" Sutaasafaia guessed as Kouga nodded.

"She is," Sesshoumaru answered.

"Who would have thought that the miko-exterminator would willingly hire a miko to be his assistant?" Kouga jeered. Sesshoumaru ignored him as he glanced around.

"Where are we?"

Kouga sniffed around a little as Sutaasafaia and Sesshoumaru glanced at the dense forest around them. The afternoon sun barely shone through the branches above them and the forest floor was thick with grass and vegetation.

"We're in the Rocky Mountains," Kouga finally said as he turned back to Sesshoumaru.

"Are any of your tribe around here?"

"Of course! What did you-" Kouga glanced at Kagome suddenly. "What happened to her clothes?"

Sesshoumaru and Sutaasafaia looked at Kagome curiously. Her clothes were ripped and torn in various places, mere scraps of their former selves. Sutaasafaia shrugged. "It must have happened during the crash. I smell smoke on them."

"I do too. Do you have anywhere we could go so we can change her clothes?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kouga nodded. "Let's go. This way!"

Sutaasafaia and Sesshoumaru followed Kouga as he headed north.

Kouga and the others arrived at a large cave in the side of a cliff in the mountain minutes later, or hours depending on if your youkai or not. Kouga lead the way inside first, followed by Sutaasafaia then Sesshoumaru as he attempted to wake Kagome. She sighed every so often, but otherwise was not responsive. Sutaasafaia sighed as Kouga lit a torch near the back of the cave.

"Welcome to my home. Well, one of them at least," Kouga said as Sesshoumaru gently placed Kagome on one of the fur rugs near the back. Sutaasafaia watched as Kouga pulled an outfit out of one of the many chests and approached Kagome.

"Oh no you don't, pervert," Sutaasafaia said, her hand extended. "Give it to me. I'll change her clothes."

"Aww…you're no fun," Kouga grumbled as he and Sesshoumaru left the cave. Sutaasafaia sighed as she started to remove Kagome's ruined turtleneck, shaking her head as Sesshoumaru and Kouga started to fight again.

'When will men ever learn,' she sighed as she tossed the turtleneck to a far side of the cave.

__

/5:57 AM, Wednesday morning/

Kagome yawned, then sat up and glanced around her. She was surrounded by stone walls barely lit by a soft candlelight. Sutaasafaia snoozed lightly a few feet away from her on a fur rug identical to her own. Kagome stood up and rubbed her hands over her pants legs. Finding her legs rather furry feeling, Kagome looked down and gasped.

'What happened to my clothes?' she wondered as she stared down at the furry vest and pants. 'And where are Takamada and Kouga?' She looked ahead and found sunlight coming from somewhere ahead of her. Kagome followed it until she came to the mouth of the cave.

Sesshoumaru sat crossed-legged before it, talking to someone with their back turned to her. Sesshoumaru's arms were folded inside the tan trench coat, with bits of his dark blue suit peaking through. A mental picture flashed behind Kgaome's eyes as the wind swept through his hair and fluttered it through the breeze, but Kagome brushed it aside for what she saw before her.

Whoever Takamada was talking to had a tail.

Kagome unsnapped her sheath and slowly walked toward the front of the cave.

"Well, Takamada," Kouga said with a sigh. "Are you sure about her?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "She has proven her worth more than a few times."

"Whatever," Kouga said irritably. "After all, it'll be you who'll get-urk!"

Kouga yelped as someone behind him grabbed his ponytail and jerked him backward. Moments later, the kiss of cold steel pressed against his throat as he came face-to-stomach with Kagome.

"Are you alright Takamada?" Kagome asked as she held Kouga down. Sesshoumaru bit back the chuckle at the back of his throat. 'Well, Kouga had his doubts. I wonder if he has them now.'

"I'm fine Kagome, but I don't think Kouga appreciates the position you've put him in."

"Huh?" Kagome muttered as she looked down. "Kouga?"

"Mumpfhmnephm," was his reply. Kagome helped him back up and apologized.

"I'm so sorry Kouga," Kagome said as she brushed him off. "I didn't know who you were. After all, you didn't have a tail on the plane. I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, not physically," Kouga said with a smile. "You just wounded my pride."

Sutaasafaia came out moments later, rubbing her eyes. "What'd I miss?"

"Just Kagome trying to turn Kouga into a pretzel," Sesshoumaru said with an evil glint in his eye. Kagome rolled her eyes at him.

"I didn't know Kouga was a youkai and I kinda-"

"Don't worry about it Kagome," Kouga assured her. "It's a simple misunderstanding. I'm just glad you didn't try to purify me. That would've sucked."

"Not like this is the perfect day already," Sutaasafaia said with a groan as she sat down beside the campfire. Kagome glanced down at her clothes, then at Kouga. "I take it these are from you?"

"Yeah," Kouga said as he scratched the back of his head. "You're clothes were ruined in the crash."

"Thanks," Kagome said as she sat down beside Sutaasafaia. "For the clothes, and for letting us stay here. This is one of your dens, right?"

"Right again," Kouga told her as he sat down beside her. Sesshoumaru glared from the other side, but kept to himself as Kagome glanced around.

"Where's my attaché?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru picked it up and handed it to her. "What are you doing?" he asked as Kagome pulled out her shades and her laptop.

"I'm trying to reach Miroku," Kagome told him as she reached on the side of the laptop for a plug. "Our TS sent us new shades, with new features. One of them is the ability to magnify the linking signal over a greater distance. That's what this plug is for." She plugged the cord into the side of the shades, then put them on and started to type. Moments later, Miroku's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey Boss, how's Seattle?"

"Don't know, we're not there."

"Huh?" Miroku said, his brow creased in confusion. "Then where are you?"

"Um," she thought a minute, then turned to Kouga. "Hey Kouga, where are we?"

Kouga sniffed a moment, then smiled. "In the Rocky Mountains, near Washington state."

"Thanks," Kagome turned back to the laptop. "In the mountains, near Washington state."

"WHAT?!" came Sango as she shoved Miroku to the side. A thump was heard moments later. "What do you mean you're in the mountains?"

"Don't panic Sango, we're all perfectly fine. We just need a way out of here."

"Why didn't you call Shippou?" came Miroku's voice from off camera. "He is the mad scientist after all. If anyone can get you out of there, he can."

"Hey, you're right!" Kagome exclaimed. "That's what I'm going to do right now! I'll report back at about 6:00 tomorrow morning."

"Alright Kagome-girl. Be careful."

"I will. Kagome out."

Kagome started typing again as Sutaasafaia peered over her shoulder. "Ok," she said as Kagome looked up at her. "You're a miko, correct?"

"Yes?"

"Then what else are you?"

Kagome stopped and shook Sutaasafaia's hand. "Marshal Kagome Higurashi, at your service."

"For real?" Sutaasafaia squeaked. "That's great! I can't believe we're so lucky!" She glomped Kagome as she started to type again. "We're as good as out of here!"

"Hey Kagome-mama!" Shippou said as he came on-screen. "How are you and who's the fox hanging on to you?"

Sutaasafaia blushed as Kagome rolled her eyes. "For another day, Pup. For right now, I have a problem."

"What is it?"

Kagome relayed to him the details of the crash, and where they were.

"Man, your day sucked," Shippo said when she finished. Kagome nodded in agreement as Shippou reached for another computer. "Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is: I have something that can help you out."

"The bad news?"

"I can't get it to you today."

"When can you get it to us?" Kagome asked as Sutaasafaia and Kouga groaned in frustration.

"In about a day and a half, but you have to keep at least your cell phone on for me to track you. You still have it?" Kagome reached inside her attaché and pulled it out. "Great. Stay put and I'll see you soon."

"Thanks Pup. I owe you one."

"Yeah yeah," Shippou said with a smile. "I'm sure you do. How about some crab cakes when you get back?"

"You got it! Kagome out."

Kagome sighed and closed the laptop, returning it, the shades and the cell phone back to their safe havens. "Well, looks like we're going to be here a while. You don't mind, do you Kouga?"

"Of course not," Kouga said as he leaned closer to her. "My home is your home, especially where you're concerned."

"That's great and all," Sutaasafaia said, derailing a very naughty comment from Sesshoumaru. "But when do we eat?"

Kagome tapped the sheath on her arm thoughtfully. "I don't know. I guess we'll have to hunt. We could take turns."  
  
"That's a great idea!" Kouga said as he stood up. "I'll go and you three stay here! I wouldn't want anything to happen to you-" he winked at Sesshoumaru "'weak' humans!"

"This weak human nearly killed you earlier," Kagome said with a growl. "So don't start that!"

"I was merely playing!" Kouga said, raising his hands in defeat. "I didn't mean to-"

"I will accompany you," Sesshoumaru said as he stood up. Kagome glanced at him, then shook her head.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," she told him as Sesshoumaru took off his trench coat. He handed it to her, then motioned for her to take it.

"I don't need it," Kagome told him as she eyed it warily. Sesshoumaru sighed and tossed it onto her head. "Yes you do. I can see the goose bumps on your arm from here."  
  
"It's not that cold out here you know!" Kagome yelled as she yanked the coat off her head. Sesshoumaru turned and followed Kouga into the forest around them. "Get back here Takamada!"

"I'll look after him Kagome!" Kouga called as they disappeared, missing a disapproving look from Sesshoumaru.

"Thanks a lot Kouga!" Kagome called before turning to Sutaasafaia. "It's not really that cold, is it?"

"I'm cold, and I have on a sweater. Just put the coat on," Sutaasafaia told her. Kagome shrugged and put it on. The coat was more like a blanket on her, with the sleeves more than a few inches from the tip of her fingers.

"I guess we should go find some plants to eat," Kagome said. "After all, there's no telling what they'll bring back."

__

/6:45 PM/

Kouga crouched before a nearby bush, eyeing something suspiciously. He swayed to the right, then the left before springing into the bush. He emerged moments later with a fat brown rabbit in his hand. He whirled around as someone stepped out of the trees.

"You really should be more aware," Sesshoumaru told him as he stepped into the clearing, carrying the remains of a fresh kill. His markings stood out on his face in the early moonlight, and his claws seemed to glow red.

Kouga snorted and turned back to the rabbit. The rabbit was instantly in a better place with a flick of his wrist. He and Sesshoumaru moved to a nearby stream and began to clean their spoils.

"I don't think the females will appreciate an animal so small," Sesshoumaru said with a smirk. Kouga growled in response, then smirked back.

"Kagome will think I helped you kill that, you know. After all, I'm the only youkai here."

Sesshoumaru nearly growled at this, then decided to ignore Kouga for the rest of the trip. Once they finished, they washed their hands in the stream and walked back to camp, where Sutaasafaia was watching Kagome do something to the fire.

"Ok, Sutaasafaia. Watch this." Kagome glanced at the fire, then at the area beside Sutaasafaia. A small flame danced out toward her. Sutaasafaia jumped back, then crept forward as the little red flame did something that looked, oddly enough, like the cha-cha. Sutaasafaia and Kagome giggled as Sesshoumaru and Kouga stepped into the campsite.

"You guys have to see what Kagome's doing!" Sutaasafaia exclaimed as another flame joined in the dance. It soon changed to the waltz, with the first flame in the lead. Kouga came in for a closer look as Sesshoumaru sat the deer down on a nearby rock, his human features back in place.

"Does that mean your powers are nearly regenerated?" Sesshoumaru asked as he sat down beside Kagome. Kagome shook her head. "This is a simple spell. It's going to take another day for me to get back to full strength."

"So you've known about her powers the entire time?" Kouga asked as the flames decided to do the fox-trot. Sesshoumaru nodded, brushing his hair over his shoulder when it spilled in front of him.

"I need to pull that back before you set yourself on fire," Kagome said as she pulled a fuzzy black ponytail holder out of her attaché. She mentally sent the flames back to the fire, terminating the spell as she approached Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru grimaced at the girly-looking thing, but complied as she gently pulled his hair back. "So, what did you two find?"

"I found a rabbit!" Kouga exclaimed as he held up his conquest. Sutaasafaia and Kagome grimaced. "Ewwwwww! Did you have to do that?" Sutaasafaia asked as Sesshoumaru passed Kagome some deer meat on a stick.

"What's this?" Kagome asked as Sutaasafaia accepted her stick.

"What does it look like?"

"A bloody mess," Sutaasafaia grumbled. She stared at it a little longer, then shrugged and stuck it over the fire. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, the action missed in the dark. Kagome groaned, but copied Sutaasafaia.

Kouga shrugged and bit into the rabbit. Kagome and Sutaasafaia stared in round-eyed horror as he ripped the skin with his teeth, blood dribbling down his chin.

"What?" Kouga asked, his mouth full of rabbit.

"Oh God!" Sutaasafaia gasped. She tossed her stick to the side and scrambled to the nearby woods, with Kagome close behind her. Sesshoumaru shook his head and looked at Kouga over his stick.

"You have deplorable manners."

Kouga blinked, then blushed as Kagome and Sutaasafaia came back to the campsite. "Oh man, that was the worst thing ever!" Sutaasafaia said as she sat back down.

"We can't say that," Kagome replied as she eyed Kouga cautiously. "After all, that's kinda the way some youkai eat."

"Not all youkai," Sutaasafaia and Sesshoumaru mumbled at the same time.

"What was that?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing," Sutaasafaia replied as Kouga wiped his face. "Sorry about that Kagome," he said sheepishly.

Kagome brushed it off with a smile. "Not a problem." She and Sutaasafaia stood back up and walked toward the cave. "We're turning in."

"We'll be there momentarily," Sesshoumaru told her. "Kouga and I have business to discuss."

"Alright. Look after him for me, ok?"

"Sure Kagome," Kouga called after her, snickering. Sesshoumaru nearly huffed in indignation, but held it to himself as Kouga continued to laugh. "Jeez, she really doesn't know who you are, does she?"

Sesshoumaru ignored him, reached inside his briefcase and started the work he didn't finish on the plane.


	15. Cause and Effect

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Fifteen: Cause and Effect

__

/7:23 AM, Thursday morning/

Kagome yawned, stretched and opened her eyes, glancing at the other occupants of the cave. Sutaasafaia was on one of the fur rugs on the other side of the cave, snoozing lightly. Kouga rested near the cave entrance, his tail twitching delicately in his sleep. Kagome smiled and looked around for Sesshoumaru.

'I wonder where Mr. Takamada is,' she thought as she scanned the back of the cave.

Nothing.

Something tightened around her waist, then a warm breath danced against her lower abdomen. Kagome looked down and nearly gasped. Sesshoumaru slept in her lap, his face pressed against her stomach. Kagome blushed as he rubbed his nose against her. 'Oh great,' she groaned as she attempted to disentangle Sesshoumaru from her. 'Does he have to do this NOW?'

Kagome seemed to have no luck in getting away from him herself, so she settled for waking him up.

"Takamada?" she whispered, tapping on his shoulder. Sesshoumaru didn't respond.

"Takamada?" she whispered again, tapping on the crown of his head.

"Takamada!" Kagome hissed, pulling some hair. Sesshoumaru rubbed his nose against her stomach, then licked her before falling back into his stupor. Kagome blinked, the action slowly reaching her brain, then

"EWWWWWWW! PERVERT!"

Whap!

Sutaasafaia and Kouga sat up instantly, as did Sesshoumaru. He yawned, then glared at Kagome as she frantically wiped her stomach.

"What is wrong with you?" he growled, watching her curiously.

"You LICKED me, you sicko!" Kagome cried as she glared back. Kouga shrugged and went back to sleep, but Sutaasafaia decided to stay awake for the mea lee.

Sesshoumaru huffed indignantly. "I did no such thing, woman."

"Yes you did!" Kagome shouted back. Sesshoumaru instantly fell back asleep, his head landing back on her stomach. Kagome groaned, rolled him off her and shoved him away from her with her foot.

Sutaasafaia waited until she and Kagome were out of the cave to burst out laughing. "He's sure attached to you," she said with a giggle. Kagome blushed slightly. "Sure, whatever. You want to do the hunting this morning?"

"Sure!"

They headed off for the forest, leaving a note for the boys before venturing into the unknown.

Sesshoumaru and Kouga exited the cave a half an hour later, blinking in the morning sunlight.

"Where did the girls go?" Kouga asked as he prepared another fire.

"I presume they went hunting," Sesshoumaru told him as he leaned against the opening of the cave. Kouga sat up instantly.

"Say what?"

"They went hunting," Sesshoumaru repeated. Kouga paled. "What?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Kagome's in heat, right?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"It's not the best idea for her to be without one of us while she's in heat."

"Why not?" Sesshoumaru grumbled. "There are no youkai around here."  
  
"Well….that's not entirely true."

Sesshoumaru reached across the fire pit and grabbed Kouga by the collar, dragging him through the ashes of last night's fire to him. "What do you mean?" he growled, his fangs lengthening and his eyes glowing amber. Kouga gulped.

"You see," he said with a squeak. "There's a tribe of bear youkai in the woods and if I'm right, Kagome and Sutaasafaia just headed into their territory."

"You incompetent, useless-" was all Kouga heard before Sesshoumaru dropped him like a sack of potatoes and headed in Kagome and Sutaasafaia's direction.

__

/9: 10 AM, Inuyasha's Room/

Inuyasha stepped out the shower, wrapped himself in one of the fluffy white hotel towels, and used another to dry his hair. As he stood in front of the bathroom mirror, he sighed despondently.

'I wonder what Katrina would say if she saw the real me,' he wondered as he lowered his sealing spell. The black in his hair faded with the violet in his eyes. He watched the transfer until it was finished, with two white puppy ears emerging from his head. His golden eyes stared at his reflection, then turned away and finished drying his hair.

'I want to show her, but I…I can't. She might not understand.' Inuyasha sat down on the edge of the tub and sighed. 'She might call me a freak.'

__

'But you know she wouldn't do that,' a voice said in his head. Inuyasha shrugged. 'I don't know about that. What if she-'

__

'Shut up, Inuyasha,' the voice interrupted. _ 'After all, if she loves you she'll accept you for what you really are. If you love her as much as you say you do, then you'd show her. Stop being such a punk.'_

'Geez, what a jerk!' Inuyasha thought as he tossed the towel (the hair towel, perverts!) to the side and stood up. He watched as his ears twitched on his head sporadically, then smiled. 'But I should tell her.' Inuyasha smiled and recast the sealing spell, watching the transformation again before stepping out of the bathroom. 'That's it then,' he decided as he searched his closet for something to wear. 'I'm telling her today.'

__

/9:15 AM, The Rockies/

"Um, Kagome?"

"Yeah?"  
  
"I think we went a little further than we should have."

Kagome stopped walking and turned to Sutaasafaia, who was staring into a clearing surrounded by trees. "What makes you say that?"

"There's something you should see," Sutaasafaia said as she pointed toward the clearing. Kagome peered over her shoulder and gasped. There, leaning against a tree like an empty soup can, was the back half of the plane. Kagome and Sutaasafaia approached it cautiously, then gazed up at it.

"Do you think it's safe?" Sutaasafaia asked.

"How should I know?"

"You are the big bad marshal," Sutaasafaia said in a huff. Kagome glared back at her, then shrugged. "I don't know. I guess."

"We may as well try," Sutaasafaia concluded. "After all, there could be food up there."

"And a change of clothes!" Kagome exclaimed, disturbing a few birds from their roosts. "Let's go!"

They managed to climb up the tree and shimmy down the length of the plane without injury, climbing over the seats to back of the plane.

"Here we are in the cabin area," Kagome said as she reached for another seat. "Here you'll find wildlife of all kinds, including hard-headed males of every species."

Sutaasafaia giggled as Kagome continued her Jacques Cousteau impression.

"Their ritualistic head butting is a mystery, even to the most studious of scientis-" She slipped and fell down the remaining length of the cabin, landing on the door to the baggage compartment with a thunk.

"Ow!"

"Are you ok?" Sutaasafaia asked as she jumped the rest of the way to Kagome, landing beside her. Kagome groaned and stood up, shaking the twigs out of her hair before nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine. That's what I get for goofing off. Let's get this over with."

Sutaasafaia nodded in agreement as Kagome opened the baggage door.

Minutes later they emerged from the plane, carrying the spoils of their venture. The clothes that they found were in no condition for wearing, as they all were either burned or smelled like smoke. They did find some TV dinners in the kitchen area though, and a suitcase that wasn't wrecked beyond recognition to put them in.

Sutaasafaia leaped off the last branch in the tree first, then stood by as Kagome jumped down. "Do we have everything?" Sutaasafaia asked as Kagome adjusted the suitcase on her back. Kagome nodded.

"Good. Let's head back."

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" a voice said from the forest around them. Kagome and Sutaasafaia glared around, trying to find the owner.

They glanced up at a rustling of leaves above them as a giant black bear leaped from them to the ground before them. Sutaasafaia stepped in front of Kagome as the bear changed to its humanoid form. He grinned eagerly, his sharp pointed teeth glistening in the sunlight as his long black hair streamed down his back. He circled Kagome and Sutaasafaia warily, sniffing the air every so often.

"Two pretty females, unescorted in my forest? And one is in heat too. Which one is it?" He sniffed again, then sighed as his light brown eyes settled on Kagome.

"Its you…and you're a miko too. How interesting," he purred as he stepped closer to her. Sutaasafaia reached out and backhanded him, sending him flying into a nearby tree. He stood back up as Kagome stared at Sutaasafaia in awe, then smacked her forehead.

"You're a youkai too, aren't you?"

Sutaasafaia gave an apologetic smile, then changed into her humanoid form. Kagome forgot about the bear youkai as large blue streaks emerged in Sutaasafaia's hair and her nails lengthened into sharp claws with a long blonde tail wrapped around her waist. The bear youkai stood up and smiled.

"An inu youkai bitch? This _is _my lucky day."

Kagome and Sutaasafaia started when more bear youkai rained down from the tree tops, surrounding them as the lead bear youkai grinned at them.

"I think I'll give the bitch-" pointing to Sutaasafaia, who growled in response "to my son as a plaything. You-" pointing to Kagome "will come with me. I think you'll make an excellent 'maid' for myself."

"I'll be damned," Sutaasafaia growled, flexing her claws as the youkai started to circle her and Kagome. Kagome unsnapped her sheath and pulled out three daggers. She fisted them in her hand as the lead youkai tipped his head to the side.

"Don't tell me you're going to try to fight me," he said. He shook his finger at her disapprovingly. "Now now you naughty girls. That's no way to treat your new master. I'll forgive you if you stop right now and bow down before me."

"I bow to no one," Kagome hissed, earning a growl of agreement from Sutaasafaia. The youkai sighed and shrugged.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it." He turned to the other bears. "Beat them, but don't kill them. Anyone who disobeys will pay with his life."

The youkai nodded as one and swarmed Kagome and Sutaasafaia.

Sutaasafaia attacked first, punching one bear in the groin before sweeping its feet out from under it and kicking it in the temple. Kagome back-kicked another bear in the chin, smiling when she heard its teeth click together.

Sutaasafaia charged forward, her claws ripping and tearing through the waves of bears like knives as Kagome punched a youkai in the stomach with the dagger-fisted hand. She jerked her hand free moments later, leaving the youkai to bleed to death as she reached around for another youkai.

"What in the world is that?" Kouga asked as the sounds of a struggle resounded in the forest. Sesshoumaru sniffed as Kouga listened, each wondering what was going on. A scream pierced the morning air moments later, followed by a growl. Sesshoumaru, recognizing the scream as Kagome's, gave Kouga the look of death before sprinting toward the sound, leaving Kouga to follow a navy-blue blur.

The lead youkai smacked Kagome again, knocking her to the ground as the bear youkai pounced on Sutaasafaia. She growled as they held her down, keeping her still as the lead grabbed Kagome's ponytail and jerked her to her feet. "You gave us quite a fight, miko," he snarled viciously. He jerked Kagome's head to the side, exposing her neck. He watched as her pulse quickened under her skin, the vein jumping as she glared at him.

"Nervermind that. The youkai you killed will be easily replaced and you will help that happen."

"In your dreams," Kagome told him, her voice low in warning. The bear laughed and ran a claw along her neck, giving her something like a paper cut. Sutaasafaia growled from her position on the ground, but the bear paid her no attention as he licked the wound.

"You'll find me a formidable lover, miko. You'll see, and you'll wonder why you fought the idea."

"She'll see no such thing," Kouga snarled as he came into the clearing, with Sesshoumaru close behind. Kagome struggled to turn around as the youkai watched the two newcomers warily.

"Get back Takamada!" Kagome shouted as Sesshoumaru watched from the other side of the clearing. "This isn't a place for you!"

"Let go of the girl Bathshazzar," Kouga warned, his outstretched hand toward he and Kagome. Bathshazzar clutched her tighter, his hold on Kagome's ponytail relentless as he licked her neck again. Kagome glared at him, not realizing that trouble was right behind her…

In the rapidly infuriated Sesshoumaru.

"I don't think so," Bathshazzar grinned, unaware of Sesshoumaru's growing temper. "She's responsible for the deaths of my best men, so she and her companion will replace them."

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but instantly quieted when she was suddenly jerked from Bathshazzar's arms from behind. She sped across the clearing to Sesshoumaru's waiting arms, feeling a sense of déjà vu as his arms crossed over her chest. Kagome moved to turn around and face him, but Sesshoumaru held her still as he glared into Bathshazzar's eyes, his becoming a blood red as a blue crescent shone on his forehead. Bathshazzar blinked in astonishment, then dropped to his knees, motioning for the others to do the same.

"M-m-m-my Lord," he stuttered as Sutaasafaia, Kagome and Kouga looked on. "We didn't mean to t-touch her! We didn't know she was yours! She's not marked!"

"That still doesn't excuse your actions!" Kouga shouted, speaking when Sesshoumaru could not. Kouga gulped when Sesshoumaru's fangs protruded from his mouth, lengthening to his chin as barely visible white fur started to bristle all over his body. Kagome's breath came in short pants as Sesshoumaru bordered on losing his control. She could feel the presence of a youkai, but figured it to be Kouga since it didn't threaten her. It shielded her, healing her various wounds as Kouga returned his attention to Bathshazzar.

"You're forgiven this once, but if it happens again you're lives are over. That goes for all of you!"

"You won't be warned again," Sesshoumaru growled over Kagome's head. The vibrations sent small shocks up and down her form, and she closed her eyes and relaxed against him. Sesshoumaru immediately calmed, slipping back into his human form as he looked down at her. He ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly, still glaring at Bathshazzar and his youkai as they disappeared into the trees. Kouga released a shaky breath as Sutaasafaia stood up and gathered the disregarded food, then turned back to Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

Kagome blinked, then whirled around and whapped Sesshoumaru on the arm.

"What was that for?" he demanded as Kagome glared at him.

"The next time I say run, could you please do like I say and RUN!! What was going through your head, man?" She tapped the side of his head soundly. "They could have ripped you apart! God, are you really so brash!"

"I saved your life!"

"No you didn't! We had everything under control!"

"Didn't look like that when Kouga and I got here!"

"Agggggggggg!" Kagome growled and stomped away from him. "And another thing," she said as she turned back around. Sesshoumaru flicked a speck of dust from his suit, then raised an inquisitive brow toward her.

"When did you learn to levitate?"

Sutaasafaia and Kouga watched as Sesshoumaru straightened his jacket and looked at her, all the while thinking of what to say. He had an answer in two seconds flat.

"I haven't. One of the other youkai must have tried it. I caught you before you flew past me."

"But-"

"Enough buts Kagome," Kouga said as he settled a hand on her shoulder. "You and Sutaasafaia are ok and that's all that matters. Now can we go back to camp?"

"Sure," Kagome relented, patting his hand. As they walked back to the campsite, Kagome started to giggle. Sesshoumaru and the others stopped, watching her curiously as Kagome leaned against a tree in her glee.

"What's so funny Kagome?" Sutaasafaia asked.

"Ahh…" Kagome breathed, finally getting her laughing fit under control. "With the way that youkai and his tribe acted toward Kouga, you'd think he were lord of the world or something. The look on their faces was priceless!"

Sutaasafaia eyed Sesshoumaru, waiting for him to say something to correct her, but he only nodded and resumed his walk back to camp, leaving Sutaasafaia and Kouga to wonder.

__

/6:05 PM, Jacksonville FA/

Katrina ran a nervous hand through her hair outside Inuyasha's door, mentally berating herself.

'I can't believe how nice he is,' she thought as she debated whether to ring the doorbell or not. 'Naraku said that he was a jerk, just like his brother but he's so, well, sweet. I don't want to hurt him, but if I don't-' Katrina shuddered, then glanced around the hallway for Sango and Miroku.

'Good, they're not here. I'll just knock him out, then search his room for anything. Then I can get this over with.' She rang the doorbell and waited.

Inuyasha stuck his head out a few minutes later. "Hey, Kitty!" he said as he pulled her into the room.

"Hey yourself," Katrina said uneasily. Inuyasha stopped and turned around, hugging her as he asked "What's wrong?"

"You said you had something to show me."

"Well yeah but it's not the end of the world."

Katrina laughed a little and scratched behind her ear nervously. "Yeah, well I'm not a big fan of surprises."

"Oh." Inuyasha's face fell a little, then perked. "Well let's get this over with then!"

"Get what over with?" Katrina asked as she looked up at him.

"Watch."

Katrina nodded in agreement as Inuyasha closed his eyes. A moment later he opened them as the air around them shimmered. Katrina watched in awe as the black in his hair faded to a silvery white, his eyes as they turned a dark amber and as two white ears peeked from out of his hair. Katrina marveled as she wrapped a strand of his hair around her finger.

"Is it real?" she asked, wonder and amazement in her voice. Inuyasha smiled and nodded. "Yup, its real. This is the real me."

"Why would you show it to me?" she wondered as she reached up and scratched between his ears. Inuyasha closed his eyes and purred, rubbing his head against her hand like a small puppy.

"I showed this to you because I don't want to hide from you," he whispered as he opened his eyes again. Katrina tilted her head to the side as Inuyasha continued with a smile.

"I love you Katrina, and even though we've only known each other for a couple of months, I feel like it's been longer. I wanted you to know the real me because I trust you."

"You…trust me?"

Inuyasha nodded, pulling her closer to him and resting her head against his chest. "Yes, I do."

Katrina smiled and closed her eyes, reveling in the warmth his arms provided as his words circled in her mind.

__

'I trust you Katrina.'

'I love you.'

'I don't want to hide from you.'

Katrina's eyes snapped open, a tear sliding down her cheek as she remembered what she was supposed to be doing.

'I can't let Naraku hurt him. I just can't! But that means…' She pulled away from Inuyasha slowly, caressing his cheek as another tear fell.

"Katrina…what's wrong?" he asked as a sob escaped her lips. Katrina shook her head, stepping out of his hold as she looked up at him.

'I can never see him again.'

"Katrina wait!" Inuyasha called as she bolted for the door. He changed back to his human form in seconds as she flung the door open and ran down the hallway. She slid into the elevator and pushed the floor for the lobby as Inuyasha ran down the hallway. "What is it?" he yelled as the elevator doors closed.

"I'm sorry," Katrina said as the doors finally shut. Inuyasha stopped before the elevator, disappointment etched in his eyes as he touched his cheek, tracing the path Katrina's fingers went down moments before.

"What did I do?" he whispered as he walked away from the elevator to his room.

__

/7:43 PM, The Rockies/

"So Kagome," Sutaasafaia said over a bite of TV dinner. "Why aren't you like other mikos?"

"Huh?" Kagome asked as she passed Sesshoumaru one of the dinners.

"Yeah, I've wondered that too," Kouga said as he leaned against one of the rocks. Sesshoumaru watched this from beside Kagome, waiting like the others for her answer.

"What are you guys talking about?" Kagome asked as she sat down.

"Oh, you know," Sutaasafaia began with a flick of her wrist. "Most humans scream at the sight of our true forms, and most miko want to purify us on sight. Yet you've done neither. Why?"

"Oh that." Kagome shrugged, then sighed and leaned against Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "I guess I'm not like other mikos."

"That's for sure," Kouga agreed. "But why?"

Kagome glanced from him to Sutaasafaia, watching as her tail twitched in the breeze. "I guess because I don't believe what all miko are taught."

"That all humans are good and all youkai are bad?" Sutaasafaia asked. Kagome nodded. "That's it."

"Why not?" Sesshoumaru asked, showing the first bit of interest in the conversation.

"Because its impossible for all youkai to be evil, just like its impossible for all humans to be good. After all, when our power breaks into itself, we can injure and heal both youkai and humans."

"But you're too tolerant of us," Kouga said as he waved a hand toward Sutaasafaia. "I mean, you're not even nervous. Why?"

"Because I know you two won't hurt me," Kagome answered as she stood up. She glanced at Sesshoumaru as Sutaasafaia asked her another question.

"But weren't you taught to fear all youkai?"

"I sure was," Kagome said as she stooped down and loosened Sesshoumaru's tie. "I don't see how you can stand this," she told him as she tossed it over his head.

"Hey! That's a $150 tie!"

"You'll be fine without it," she said as she unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt. "Back to your question Sutaasafaia. My second in command and I were taught as children in the way of the miko and, in her case, the youkai exterminator. My grandfather used to tell us stories about youkai, especially one in particular."

Kagome shuddered under the memory as a wind blew past her. Sesshoumaru glanced up at her as the others stared. "Oh yeah!" she suddenly said. "Give me this!" In seconds, Sesshoumaru's coat was in her hand. Sesshoumaru blinked as Sutaasafaia and Kouga laughed, watching the look of triumph on Kagome's face as she held it out of his reach.

"As I was saying," Kagome said as she held the jacket on the other side of her. "This one in particular scared the hell out of us," Kagome told them as she swatted Sesshoumaru's hand away. "He was a inu taiyoukai who ruled the western lands."

"Really?" Sutaasafaia exclaimed, watching the drama unfold from across the fire as Kagome stepped away from Sesshoumaru's hands.

"Yeah. Anyway, Grandpa used to tell us stories about him."

"What kind of stories?" Kouga wondered as Sesshoumaru scooted closer to Kagome.

"That he was beautiful," Kagome said wistfully, earning a strange look from the others. Kagome blushed slightly, then continued. "Well, from the way Grandpa described him, he was beautiful. He had long, silver hair, golden eyes and the coolest markings on his face."

"Sounds like a crush," Sutaasafaia sang. Kouga stifled a giggle as Kagome's blush darkened.

"Hardly. It was more like admiration from afar," Kagome said as she swatted Sesshoumaru's hand again. "After what Grandpa said next, I quickly scrapped that idea."

"What do you mean?"

"Grandpa said that he was as clever as he was handsome and hated humans. Any human that trespassed in his lands were instantly exterminated, especially mikos and exterminators. He told us stories about how he used to melt samurai with a mere touch, and how he could blast away a dozen mikos with a single blow."

"Truly not the man with whom to fuck," Kouga grumbled, stealing a glance at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru ignored him, reaching for his jacket yet again.

"Would you stop!" Kagome said to him, missing the giggles from around them. "You know the drill! You're not getting this back until I say so!"

"Um, Kagome," Sutaasafaia called. "You were saying?"

"Right," Kagome said, stepping further away from Sesshoumaru. "As I was saying, he was what you would call a perfect killing machine, but he wasn't mindless. He could defeat even the most powerful of mikos by just watching them and figuring out what made them tick."

Sesshoumaru straightened a little under this, but continued his pursuit of his belongings.

"We were so afraid of him when we were little," Kagome said, holding the jacket over her head. "Grandpa had us thinking that if he saw us, he'd kill us on sight. We were scared to go to sleep!" Kagome shook her head as Sutaasafaia and Kouga burst out laughing. "For real! We slept in shifts the entire time we trained! We just knew that he'd jump into our window and kill us in our sleep!" Kagome scowled as Sutaasafaia and Kouga kept laughing. "It's not funny you two!" She turned to Sesshoumaru and sighed. "At least you're not laughing Takamada."

Sesshoumaru barely heard her. 'As if I would jump through their window,' he grumbled to himself as Sutaasafaia and Kouga calmed down.

"Sorry Kagome," Sutaasafaia wheezed. "Now you said you _were_ afraid of him. What happened?"

"We found a book when I was about 9 years old, written by a monk that served in his court."

'Ah yes,' Sesshoumaru mused. 'Keriyous. I knew having that lecher in my service would come back to haunt me."

"What did it say?" Kouga asked.

"It basically said that the taiyoukai wasn't the way we were taught. He didn't hate humans. As a matter of fact, he could care less about us. He just wanted to protect his lands. And he didn't just look for humans to kill. It was more like they came looking for him."

"Why would they look for him?" Sutaasafaia asked.

"The stronger you are, the more enemies you have," Sesshoumaru said, finally giving up on his jacket for the time being. Kagome smiled down at him, patting his head as she turned back to the others.

"That's it, basically. That's when Sango and I decided it was a waste of time fearing him since he wouldn't kill us as soon as he smelled us. That's when we started to realize that perhaps everything else about youkai might not be what we originally thought. Plus there's Shippou."

"Shippou?"

"Who's Shippou?" Sesshoumaru asked, a hint of jealousy in his voice. Kagome smiled and said "He's our TS."

"You mean the one who called me a fox?" Sutaasafaia asked. Kagome nodded. "Yup, he's a kitsune. He sorta calls me his mother."

"No wonder you call him pup," Sesshoumaru muttered as Kagome yawned.

"Well people, I'm beat. I'm turning in."

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Sutaasafaia said, jumping up just as Kagome reached the mouth of the cave.

"Oh and Takamada?"

"Yes?"

Kagome tossed his jacket over his head and walked into the cave behind Sutaasafaia. Kouga shook his head as she disappeared from view.

"She's interesting, isn't she?" Kouga said as Sesshoumaru fished his jacket off his head and straightened his hair.

"Yes, she is. You know something Kouga?"

"What?"

Sesshoumaru smiled, a truly evil grin lit up by the fire as he stared Kouga down.

"She's mine."

"We'll see dog breath," Kouga said under his breath. "We'll see."

__

/8:15 PM, Jacksonville, Katrina's Apartment/

Smack!

Katrina fell to the floor of her kitchen, the back of her head thumping against the cold tile. She closed her eyes for a split second, stars dancing behind her closed lids as she opened them and scampered back to the living room.

"I couldn't do it!" she gasped.

Thump!

She winced as her assailant kicked her in the side hard enough to crack her ribs. Katrina pressed her back against the living room wall anyway, watching with frightened eyes as Naraku stooped before her.

"Now why couldn't you?" he asked as he pulled a pair of brass knuckles out of his pocket.

Katrina paled. "He doesn't know anything."

Smack!

Katrina's head thumped against the wall behind her, and the stars danced again as she turned back to him, tears streaming down her face.

"I swear he doesn't! Why would Takamada give his brother something so important?"

"It's not your job to question me!" Naraku snarled as he kicked her again. "It is your job to do like I say! Now you'd better have something better than 'he doesn't have anything'!"

"But he doesn't!" Katrina persisted, wincing as he kicked her again. "I swear! The only thing he has is a journal in his laptop!"

"A journal?" Naraku repeated, stopping his foot mid-swing. "Really?"

Katrina nodded. Naraku kneeled down before her again, reaching out to caress her cheek.

"Naraku, please…"

"How long has he kept this journal."

"I don't know," Katrina said. "Three, maybe four years."

Naraku nodded, running his fingers through her hair. Katrina turned away, grimacing as Naraku kissed her neck.

"You're beautiful, even covered in bruises."

"Naraku, don't…"

"Get the journal."

"What?" Katrina gasped as Naraku traced her jaw. "I can't! There's nothing on it!"

"Well I want to make sure."

"But…its passcode encrypted! How are you-"

"Don't concern yourself with that my dear. Just get the journal." He fisted his hand in her hair suddenly, jerking her backward as he growled in her face. "Unless you want your father to suffer."

"No!"

"Then get it!" He released her with a jerk, bumping her head against the wall yet again Katrina waited until he left her apartment to slowly rise from the floor, the various bumps to her head making it swim slightly. She sighed and walked down the hall and into her bathroom. She started the water for a bath, stopping to glance at the large purple bruise on her face. "I'm so sorry Inuyasha," she whispered as she turned away. She stopped the water and shrugged out of what little remained of her clothes before settling into the water. She scrubbed her skin with vigor, trying to remove Naraku's foul stench as she thought over Naraku's threat.

"I never wanted to hurt you," she said as she stepped out, watching as the water rushed down the drain. Katrina dried herself in a rush then walked out of the bathroom, stopping by the bathroom mirror to check her face.

It was healed, just like her ribs.

__

/10:16 PM, Inuyasha's Room/

Inuyasha sat on the couch, angrily flipping through the TV channels as he berated himself. 'Why did I do that?' he asked himself for the millionth time that day. 'I mean, what made me think she'd accept me! She was terrified, and that's why she ran!' Inuyasha tossed the remote over the sofa and sighed. 'Who am I kidding? I guess I'm just not meant to be happy.'

The doorbell rang, shaking him out of his pity party.

"Who is it?" he asked as he walked toward the door. It rang again in answer. Inuyasha checked the peephole, thinking it might be Sango or Miroku there to cheer him up. They didn't know about his humanoid form either, but they did know something was wrong and wanted to help.

The figure on the other side wasn't them.

"Who's there?" Inuyasha asked as the doorbell rang again. Whoever it was wore a black trench coat and a black fedora with a long white feather in the brim. Inuyasha opened the door a crack, keeping his weight behind the door as he peered out.

"What?!"

"Hi," Katrina whispered as she looked up at him. Inuyasha blinked, not entirely sure he wasn't seeing things as she smiled up at him.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure," Inuyasha said as he stepped to the side. He closed the door behind her and followed her to the living room. Katrina turned around suddenly and pushed him back onto the couch. She kicked his legs apart and stood between them, a wicked smile on her face as she tossed the fedora to the side. She shook her hair free as it tumbled from under its confinements, watching the sheer amazement on Inuyasha's face as she slowly unbuttoned the trench coat.

"I'm sorry," Katrina whispered as she undid the first button. "I know you think I'm rotten-"

"I don't thing that," Inuyasha told her as he reached to help her. Katrina playfully slapped his hand away as she undid the second button.

"I bet you thought you scared me, right?"

Inuyasha nodded as she undid the third.

"Well understand this Inuyasha: I'll never be afraid of you. Now," she said as she opened the coat, revealing a black lace bra and tap pants. "Let's see the real you."

Inuyasha did so, watching Katrina's face as he reverted to his humanoid form. He waited hesitantly for her to scream, or run away like she did before. Katrina smiled and scratched between his ears again, giggling when he started to purr again.

"Well, are there any perks to being part dog?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded and stood up. He picked her up and headed for his bedroom, slamming the door closed behind him.


	16. The Tenseiga

{Disclaimer: Hey! I've done this at least {::looks back at the chapters::} FIFTEEN TIMES already! If you don't know by now that I don't own them, you never will!}

SF: Oh, and before we begin this chapter, everyone wish Ayakumi a Happy Birthday!!! ^.~

Chapter Sixteen: The Tenseiga

__

*12:00 midnight, Friday Morning*

Sesshoumaru glanced at the others in the cave around him, giving something much like a longing sigh. Each slept on their own little fur, with Kagome on the one nearest him and Kouga near the mouth of the cave. Sesshoumaru got up and decided that it might do him some good to get a little fresh air. He walked out of the cave, then leaped onto the ledge above the mouth of the cave, staring wistfully at the stars.

'There are so few stars now,' he mused to himself as the stars twinkled above him. '500 years ago they seemed to litter the sky by the thousands. Now you're lucky to see eight or nine. I wonder what will happen to them 500 years in the future. Will they reclaim their place in the sky, or finally twinkle out and die as all things do?'

Sesshoumaru sighed, loosening his tie as his thoughts turned. 'For that matter, what of youkai? Will we finally reclaim our place as rulers of the humans, or will we finally sub come, like the stars?' He smiled suddenly. 'I wonder what Kagome would think of life 500 years from now.' Sesshoumaru shook his head and sat crossed-legged on his perch, his chin finally coming to a rest in his hand. 'That was such a inane thought,' he told himself as the wind started to swirl around him. 'Her life span may be longer because she's a miko, but not that long. She'll never see 500 years from now.'

__

'She could if she were youkai,' quipped a voice in his head. Sesshoumaru sighed again. 'But she is not.'

__

'But what if she were mated to a youkai?'

'Ha ha,' Sesshoumaru thought irritably. 'Do you mean to allow another hanyou into the world?'

__

'Oh don't act like that! You know that all hanyou aren't the annoyances they used to be, plus any child from her will be born with her power. That's a good enough reason for her to mate a youkai. You could introduce her to one.'

'She is mine,' Sesshoumaru thought with a growl. 'And there is no way I'm going to allow her to mate another youkai.'

'Then you mate her.'

Sesshoumaru chuckled for real this time, the dark, ill-used mirth floating like a fog on the early morning air. 'Me, mate a human? Are you serious?'

__

'Very much so.'

Sesshoumaru doubled over in his laughter, nearly falling off the ledge and to the ground below.

__

'What's so funny?' the voice asked. Sesshoumaru stopped laughing and shook his head, his hair fluttering in the midnight breeze.

'Me mating a human is funny. This Sesshoumaru doesn't associate with humans unless it is absolutely necessary.'

__

'Don't start that high and mighty crap! You've never mated, and as of right now that human is about the best you're going to come up with. Besides, not all humans are as detestable as you think. I remember one you used to respect.'

'Really?' thought Sesshoumaru. 'Who?'

__

'Think back to when you first took over your father's place as lord of the west. You were just coming home from patrol…'

/Sesshoumaru's Flashback/

A younger Sesshoumaru landed before one of the many houses on his lands, intending on bidding his half-brother and his late father's wife goodnight when the scent of tears came to him on the night breeze. He followed it to the porch of the mansion. He found Inuyasha's mother and her handmaidens sitting on the porch, weeping and calling for the little boy as if they were in mourning. Sesshoumaru immediately grabbed one of the maidens, holding his breathe to keep out her foul human stench as he lifted her up and commanded her attention.

"What has happened?" he asked simply as her eyes widened. She immediately went into a state of shock, displeasing Sesshoumaru as he dropped her and reached for another. Inuyasha's mother stood and bowed before him as her maidens cowered in fear.

"My lord," she said as she stood back up. "It's your brother-"

"Half-brother," Sesshoumaru corrected. Inuyasha's mother bowed again.

"Forgive me, my lord. Young Inuyasha is missing."

"How long has he been away?" Sesshoumaru asked, steeling a calm to his voice. He felt a slow panic rise within him for some unknown reason as Inuyasha's mother turned to his nanny.

"How long?" she asked quietly, attempting to calm the frightened girl.

"A-at least two h-hours!" the girl stuttered. Inuyasha's mother nodded and turned back to Sesshoumaru as he picked up Inuyasha's scent.

'The wench is right, he has been missing for two hours,' Sesshoumaru concluded. 'And there is no other scent with it. He must have wandered off.'

"I will look for him," Sesshoumaru said as he looked over his shoulder. Inuyasha's mother and the other maidens bowed and walked back in the house. Sesshoumaru waited until he heard the last pair of footsteps fade away to start into the forest, but stopped when he heard footsteps approach him from behind. He turned around quickly, his claws poised and ready to strike when he stopped mid-slash.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Inuyasha's mother as she leaned against a nearby tree. She held her hand to her chest, seemingly to calm her racing heart as she bowed before Sesshoumaru.

"I would like to accompany you my lord."

Sesshoumaru blinked, looking thoroughly confused for the first time in his adult life. "You?" he questioned as he approached her. She nodded and bowed again, the quiver on her back nearly spilling its contents over her shoulder. Sesshoumaru shook his head and turned back around, following Inuyasha's scent.

"Go back," he told her. "I will return shortly."

"I wish to accompany my lord," she said again, this time with a little more determination in her voice. Sesshoumaru turned around again, faster than before as he grabbed her arm and pushed her against a nearby tree.

"Are you disobeying me?" he snarled. Inuyasha's mother shuddered but said nothing, waiting until Sesshoumaru's temper subsided to respond.

"No my lord," she told him. Sesshoumaru sat her back down and continued on Inuyasha's trail.

"But I would like to accompany you."

Sesshoumaru stopped, becoming something like living marble as he considered her actions. He glanced at her over his shoulder and nearly laughed. She stood, in the many folds and layers bestowed of her station, with a bow in her hands. 'I doubt she knows what to do with it,' Sesshoumaru thought as he turned back around. 'But if she insists.'

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but walked on, sometimes stopping to wait on Inuyasha's mother as she struggled with the many folds of her kimono as she attempted to follow quietly. They finally came to the bushes on the outskirts of a small clearing. Sesshoumaru crouched down, careful not to kneel in the mud under his feet as Inuyasha's mother crouched beside him.

"What is-"

Sesshoumaru pressed a finger to his lips, silently quieting her as he peered through the bushes. There in the clearing was a five year old Inuyasha fighting with a giant spider oni. The five year old seemed to be winning, with his Iron Reaver ripping through the oni like rice paper. Sesshoumaru watched, secretly pleased that Inuyasha actually paid attention to the hours he spent training him when Inuyasha's mother gasped.

"Keep quiet!" he growled. She nodded and pointed back to the clearing. 

The oni grabbed Inuyasha by the leg and lifted him high into the air, watching as Inuyasha wiggled and struggled to get free.

"You'd better let go!" Inuyasha told him. "Or else Aniki will get you!"

"What do I care of your aniki?" the spider asked. "I'm more concerned about dinner, and since you're the only morsel around-" He tossed Inuyasha into the air, then opened his mouth to catch and eat the screaming toddler. 

Sesshoumaru was moving in in an instant, skimming across the grass and into the air before Inuyasha's mother could react. He intercepted Inuyasha seconds before he could land into the oni's mouth, then landed on the oni's shoulder with Inuyasha on his.

"Aniki!" Inuyasha squealed, hurting Sesshoumaru's ears as he squeezed the living daylights out of Sesshoumaru's head. Sesshoumaru shook him free gently, a scowl on his normally stoic features.

"What have I told you about wandering off?" he asked Inuyasha, a hint of warning in his tone.

"Um, don't?"

"Exactly."

The oni, after a few minutes of holding open an empty mouth, finally opened his eyes and glanced at his shoulder. His eyes widened as it took in both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha as Sesshoumaru stood defiantly on it's shoulder. 

"You dare presume to harm the blood of the moon?" Sesshoumaru said calmly as the toxic green poison started to flow to his fingertips. The oni's eyes widened even more, but instead of begging for mercy like Sesshoumaru expected, it shook Sesshoumaru off and attacked.

Sesshoumaru dodged and ducked the oni's blows expertly. He yawned in the middle of the attack, infuriating the oni as it charged again. Inuyasha stuck to Sesshoumaru's shoulder like glue, watching as his aniki avoided the spider's attacks in awe.

"I tire of this. Die," Sesshoumaru said before beginning his own assault.

****

SF: Damn ya'll, I've heard Sesshou actually say this!

Inu-chan: Yeah he said it. It was when he first tried to take the Tetsusaiga!

Kagome: And when he put a hole in Inuyasha's stomach!

Sango: And when Inuyasha first saw the Wind Scar!

SF: You say that a lot Sesshou. You need a new catchphrase.

****

Sesshoumaru darted forward in an instant and slashed through one of the oni's eyes. It howled and screamed in agony and blinding rage as it charged the inu brothers. Sesshoumaru barely stepped aside before the one of the oni's claws slashed at him. Sesshoumaru's energy whip surged from his fingers in an instant, creating a deep gash onto the oni's back. It whirled around faster than Sesshoumaru expected, pinning he and Inuyasha to the ground as one of its other legs prepared to spear them from above.

An arrow sank into one of the oni's eyes suddenly, blinding it permanently in that eye. It roared and turned toward the source of the arrow.

"YOU!" it roared in disbelief. 

Inuyasha's mother stood on the edge of the clearing, her bow raised and another arrow nocked and ready.

"What's wrong with you human?" the oni asked her as it held Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha down. "Don't you know that youkai hate humans and oni like us? That they think they're better than us? Let me kill them and I'll forgive what you did to my eye."

Inuyasha's mother said nothing but held her ground, watching and waiting for the oni to move first.

"Fine fine," it said with a sigh. It picked up Inuyasha and held him up for her to see, sniffing him first before holding him out. "This one belongs to you. Take him and go."

"I want them both."

The oni tilted his head to the side, then shrugged. "Do you think this high and mighty youkai will appreciate this? Surely you jest!" He started to laugh, the evil tainting the night air. "Youkai know nothing of gratitude."

"He is no mere youkai to me," she said, her gaze flickering from Inuyasha to Sesshoumaru as the oni held the young lord still.

"I know that," the oni said rudely. He sighed then, and shrugged. "Then I'll eat you all and sort the details later."

He speared a tentacle into Sesshoumaru's shoulder, lifting him up as he opened his mouth. Another arrow fired, blinding another eye. The oni howled again and dropped both inu youkai as it charged for Inuyasha's mother. She fired another arrow, it too sinking deep into one of it's eyes before it reached her. 

A white flash stood between them, then a green streak. An instant later Sesshoumaru watched as the spider oni split in half, the toxic acid from his claws slowly melting the creature as it lay there, dead. Inuyasha scampered from Sesshoumaru's shoulder moments later, sparing a parting glance at the oni before his mother scooped him up.

"Inuyasha!" she cried, hugging him close to her chest. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Mother," he said, squirming in her arms. "Mother, you're squishing me!"

She giggled nervously and loosened her hold on him. "I'm sorry. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine now that I can breathe!" His little face lit up suddenly. "Did you see Aniki? He was great! When I grow up I want to be just like him!"

Inuyasha's mother nodded during his hero worship, then turned to Sesshoumaru. "Are you ok?"

Sesshoumaru spared her a glance, then removed the armor above his right shoulder. The white cloth over it instantly darkened, becoming sodden with blood. He cursed under his breath, then willed it to heal as Inuyasha's mother looked on.

She approached him slowly, barely aware of Inuyasha's chirping as she watched the skin around the wound seal closed. She breathed a sigh of relief, then wrapped one arm around his waist in a half attempt at a hug. Sesshoumaru stiffened at this as she and Inuyasha snuggled closer to him, watching curiously as one tear after another slipped down her face. She started to mummer something nearly unintelligible as Sesshoumaru struggled to listen.

"Couldn't let it hurt you…didn't know if the arrow would make it…scared to death…so relieved…couldn't let it hurt my sons…"

'Sons? Surely she doesn't mean me.'

"Never shot a bow before…so glad that I didn't lose you two…"

'She never shot before,' Sesshoumaru wondered as Inuyasha's mother slowly calmed down. 'Then how did she injure it like she did?' He remembered something his own mother said one day, the words seemingly to fit what he couldn't explain.

'A mother's love will guide any arrow.'

Sesshoumaru looked down at her as Inuyasha's mother dried her face on a handkerchief.

"I'm sorry my lord," she said, bowing once again. A little of his blood stained the front of her obi. Sesshoumaru reached down and touched it, bringing her attention to it. "I don't mind it my lord. I'm just glad you're safe."

"From now on you will not address me as such," Sesshoumaru told her as he picked her and Inuyasha up and carried them toward home. 

"Then how would you like me to address you?"

"I am Sesshoumaru to you from now on."

Inuyasha's mother nodded in agreement, then rested her head on his healed shoulder. "Sesshoumaru," she whispered as she and Inuyasha fell asleep. "My son."

/Sesshoumaru's Flashback/

'And that means?' Sesshoumaru asked the voice as he turned back to the stars.

__

'That means that not all humans are pests, nor do all deserve to be merely pets as you seem to have stationed Kagome. She's a miko that can't harm you, that only you seem to be able to disarm. That should be good for something.'

'I'm too old to be having this conversation,' Sesshoumaru said as he jumped down from the ledge.

__

'No you are not,' the voice jeered as Sesshoumaru walked back into the cave. _'You're lonely and you know it.'_

'I'm a taiyoukai and a businessman. I don't have time for such foolishness.'

__

'That's your problem, you don't make time. You've had more fun with Kagome in the past three months than you have your entire life. Your such a stiff.'

Sesshoumaru sighed and sat down beside Kagome, watching her as she slept. 'She is nothing but an infatuation.' Kagome stirred, her brow wrinkling in distress as she mumbled in her sleep.

"Don't…please…" she whispered. Sesshoumaru didn't hesitate as he reached for her, holding her in his lap and smoothing her hair away from her face. She settled down instantly, bringing her arms around his waist and nuzzling her nose into his neck.

__

'An infatuation huh? Yeah right.'

Sesshoumaru sighed, rolled his eyes, and ran his fingers through her hair until he fell asleep.

__

*1:03 PM*

Kagome watched as Sutaasafaia and Kouga argued over something from across the campsite. She shrugged as Sutaasafaia got in a particularly good jab at Kouga's pride, then started to draw a symbol in the sand. Just as she was finishing, a shadow blocked her sun.

"May I talk to you Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked as he crouched down beside her.

"Sure," Kagome said, looking up from her drawing. Sesshoumaru glanced at her hand, then at her face and said "Are you married?"

"You're asking me now if I'm married?" Kagome said with a giggle. "Don't you think it's a little late?" 

She smiled at the seriousness in his expression, holding her hands in front of her as a peace offering. "You're serious, aren't you?" She shook her head. "No Mr. Takamada, I'm not married."

"Boyfriend?"

Kagome quirked a brow. "No. Why are you asking these-"

"Why?"

Kagome sat back on her heels and studied him. "Why do you want to know?"

Sesshoumaru glanced away from her into the distance. "Out of curiosity."

"Oh," Kagome said, settling back into her picture. "I guess it's because all the guys I've met have been too…I don't know, childish I suppose."

"Childish?"

"Are you going to say more than six words today?" Kagome teased good-naturedly.

"Maybe."

Sigh. "Fine." Kagome started to draw again, finishing the last lines of the pictogram. "It's just something about them, you know. All the guys I know want to do is well-" She cleared her throat and sighed. "Never mind. Tell you what. Let's say that they and I have differences of opinion."

"Oh." Sesshoumaru removed his suit jacket and draped it on a nearby rock. "What is that?" he asked as he rolled up his sleeves. He pointed to the drawing in the dirt.

"This is a protection spell," Kagome replied as she drew another line.

"I didn't notice anything last night."

"You wouldn't. It wasn't meant to do anything to you," she said. 

"So what are you doing?"  


"Disabling it," she said as she drew yet another line. Sesshoumaru watched as she concentrated, the tip of her tongue barely sticking out of her mouth. She tapped the top of the drawing, then wiped it away with the palm of her hand. A purple flare went up suddenly, circling around the campsite before flaring up again and disappearing. 

"There! All gone," Kagome said with a happy sigh. She moved forward to stand when she slipped on a rock and fell forward. Sesshoumaru caught her easily, resting a hand at her side as Kagome blushed.

"Thanks," she said, holding on to his shoulders as he stood. "I'm a tad clumsy today."

"So I've noticed."

"Hey Kagome!" Kouga called from across the camp. "Do you hear that?"

Kagome stilled, listening as the entire camp went quiet. She heard what interested Kouga moments later. Her brow creased in confusion, then her entire face lit up. 

"Let's go!" Kagome cried. She darted around camp for hers and Sesshoumaru's things before grabbing his hand and running toward the sound. 

Sutaasafaia and Kouga followed behind moments later as Kagome and Sesshoumaru got closer to the sound. They stopped in a nearby field, watching as a black helicopter landed in the middle.

"Shippou!" Kagome cried when the helicopter landed. "Shippou! Over here!"

The pilot got out and surveyed the area, then waved at Kagome as she and the others ran to him. Kagome jumped on him instantly, hugging him as he spun her around.

"Good to see you too Kagome!" Shippou said as he set her down. "Took you long enough to find me!"

"Shut up!" Kagome cried over the helicopter blades. "Shippou, this is Sesshoumaru Takamada, Kouga Tarentino, and his assistant Sutaasafaia."

"Hi," Shippou said as he shook hands. "I'm the TS, and you're pilot for this evening." He opened the door to the back of the helicopter and waited for the others to get inside as Kagome sat in the passenger seat up front. "Don't worry folks," Shippou said as he jumped into the pilot's seat. "You'll be in Seattle before you know it."

"What about clothes?" Kagome asked him as they took off.

"Sango and Mr. Hitame sent a new change of clothes to your hotel this afternoon. Mr. Tarentino and his assistant won't get theirs until tomorrow morning."

Kagome relayed this to the passengers in the back, who couldn't hear for the helicopter blades. Kagome sighed moments later, turning back to Shippou with a grin. "It's good to see you Pup."

"You too Kagome-mama. How are you?"

Kagome sighed and leaned back against the seat. "In desperate need of a bath."

Shippou laughed, then turned to her. "Hey, hold the stick a moment. There's something you should see."

Kagome did as she was told as Shippou dug around under his seat for a vanilla colored envelope. He handed it to her and took back the steer as Kagome opened the folder and held out a picture.

"And?" she said after a minute. "What's so great about a picture of Takamada?"

"Which Takamada?"

"Excuse me?" Kagome said, glancing at the picture again. "Its Sesshoumaru, of course."  


Shippou shook his head. "Nu-uh. That's InuTaisho Takamada."

Kagome held the picture closer, disbelief written on her face as she studied it. "No way."

"Way. Can't tell them apart, can you?" Kagome shook her head and put the picture back in the folder. "Want to know the weird thing?"

"What?" Kagome asked as she gave the folder back to him. 

"There are no pictures of Sesshoumaru Takamada's mother, nor Hitame's mother. There are no pictures of either of them as children."

"That is weird," Kagome agreed as Shippou warily eyed a dark cloud. 

"Just thought you'd like to see that."

"Thanks Pup, I owe you."

"Oo!" Shippou exclaimed as he glanced at her. "Does that mean crab cakes and chocolate cake?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes Shippou, that means crab cakes and chocolate cake."

__

*4:20 P. M.*

"Hurry up Takamada!" Kagome yelled as she pounded on the bathroom door. "I'm filthy, irritated and I want a bath!"

"Like I don't know you're filthy," Sesshoumaru muttered as he ignored her. He fully submerged himself under the water, watching the jets in the whirlpool tub as he held his breath and tried to figure out their plane ride home.

The ride itself wasn't what Sesshoumaru was worried about. It was the envelope that was passed between the two marshals. He knew it to be a picture, but couldn't figure out what picture because of the helicopter blades. 'Damn modern technology,' Sesshoumaru thought irritably as he poked his nose above the water. He particularly liked this hotel, and owned stock in the company.

The room was different than the one in Jacksonville. Where it was only a one story, this one was two with a bedroom upstairs and down, each with their own bath. Unfortunately for Kagome, the downstairs bathroom was under repairs.

'She'll be fin-'

"Come out!" Kagome thundered through the door. "Don't make me come in there!"

"You can if you want to," Sesshoumaru told her as he reached beside the tub for a bar of soap. "You can even join me if you're in such a hurry."

The banging stopped instantly and he heard her mutter enough curses to make a seaman ashamed before she walked off.

__

*6:48 AM, Monday Morning*

Kagome stepped out of the bathroom, grumbling incoherently as she struggled to zip on her skirt.

"Damned…stupid…piece of-oh, thanks," she said as Sesshoumaru tugged her to where he was sitting at the foot of the bed and zipped it for her.

"You are truly weak," he taunted as he lightly shoved her to the side and stood up. "Is the shower free?"

"Yes your highness," Kagome said with a bow. "You may bathe now, if it so pleases you."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, then ignored her as he entered the shower. He came out 10 minutes later, finding Kagome out of the room as expected. He was fully dressed before he noticed anything amiss.

'Let's see,' he said with a curious look on his face. 'Shoes: check. Pants: check. Shirt: check. Cufflinks: check. Tie: check. Jacket:…' Sesshoumaru looked around the room. 'No jacket. Why wouldn't Inuyasha-' Sesshoumaru immediately opened the bedroom door and looked down the rail to the living room, where Kagome stood in the middle of it with her hands behind her back.

"Do you have something of mine?" he asked as he stepped out of the room and glared down at her. 

"Perhaps."

"Is there a chance you'll give it back without a fight?" he inquired as he descended the steps. Kagome backed up as he approached her until they stood on opposite ends of the couch.

"I don't believe so. This is payback for the hour long bath you took the other day."

"But I'm going to be late," Sesshoumaru reasoned as he circled the couch toward her. Kagome eluded him easily, watching him from beside one of the armchairs. She tipped her head to the side and smiled coyly.

"I wish I felt some sympathy for you," she said as she moved toward the armchair at the other end of the coffee table. "But…I don't." She turned suddenly and bolted toward the kitchen with Sesshoumaru in pursuit. Kagome waved his jacket around like a flag, darting around the island in the kitchen to the dining room. Sesshoumaru chased her around the table until he cornered her between two chairs. 

"Now can I have my jacket?" he asked with a hint of mischief in his eyes. This was the most fun he'd had in a while, and the little human in front of him didn't have a clue to the fact that he was allowing her to do this.

That he could have caught her moments before this started.

"Um," Kagome said, lightly biting down on her pinky finger. "Nope."

She jumped back and scampered across the dining room table and out of the room, beginning the chase anew. Sesshoumaru glanced at the microwave clock as he passed the living room.

'7:10! I have to go!'

Kagome danced across the living room floor, taunting him as his jacket swirled around above her head in her hands. She stopped in front of one of the columns at the edge of the room, waving the jacket in front of her.

"I have your jacket and you can't have it!" she sang before rounding the corner. She was suddenly pinned from both sides, trapped between the column and Sesshoumaru as he glared down at her.

"Now enough of this," he said as she panted lightly below him. "I have to go."

"How did you do that?" she asked. "I didn't see you move."

"My secret, now give me the jacket like a good girl," Sesshoumaru ordered, his hand outstretched toward her. Kagome held the jacket to the side of the column behind her. Sesshoumaru shook his head and reached for it, leaning over her as he did so. 

His cheek grazed her collar as he passed, unintentionally mussing it. Sesshoumaru straightened it, the jacket forgotten as he stooped down for a closer look. 

He slowly traced his fingers along her throat to her jaw, barely feeling her hand rest on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her lower back. Sesshoumaru fully indulged in her scent, the warm spice of her heat fogging his head slightly. He nudged her head to the side, then leaned down and brushed his lips against her jugular. Sesshoumaru opened his mouth and was inches from kissing it when the doorbell rang.

Kagome squeaked lightly in surprise and dropped his jacket. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, picked it up and put it on as Kagome scurried toward the door. Sutaasafaia stood on the other side, a bright smile on her face as she waved.

"Hi Kagome!" she said as she came in. "Where is Mr. Takamada?"

"In there," Kagome said nervously. Sutaasafaia turned to her, her head tipped to the side as Sesshoumaru came out of the living room. He tossed Kagome her attaché and walked out the door, leaving the two still in the room.

"What happened?" Sutaasafaia whispered as she and Kagome followed Sesshoumaru down the outside steps to the car. Kagome blushed and caught up with Sesshoumaru before Sutaasafaia could ask anything else.

__

*2:31 PM*

"Welcome to the Stone Temple research facility Mr. Takamada," one of the lab technicians said as she escorted Kagome and Sesshoumaru to the basement of the WCT building. "I'm Rei Himashi, but you can call me Rei." She turned toward Sesshoumaru, a shy smile gracing her oval-shaped face. "I'm sure you're just as pleased as I am to finally have the Tenseiga in this area reinstalled."

"Thrilled," Sesshoumaru said dryly, stealing a glance at Kagome as she walked beside him. 'Why is she behaving so skittish?' he wondered as the elevator stopped on the basement floor. They walked down a corridor bathed in white, with a single pair of steel doors at the end. Kagome walked quietly, the only indication of her presence other than sight was the swishing of her skirt or a whisper of her shirt sleeve. 

'Ah yes,' Sesshoumaru thought with a nod. 'This morning. That's why she's behaving this way.' He nearly smiled. 'Well, she will have to get used to it won't she?'

Rei stopped before the doors and pulled out an id card. The doors opened moments later, with Rei leading them in, Kagome following the tech and Sesshoumaru behind. 

The inside was as white and sterile as the hallway, with levels along the walls that lead to offices and labs on the upper levels. 

Kagome gazed around in awe, not noticing that Rei stepped to the side and around something until someone grabbed her shoulders from behind.

"What?" Kagome asked as she looked over her shoulder. Sesshoumaru pointed in front of her. "Look ahead of you."

Kagome nodded and did as she was told and found the tip of a giant sword pointed at a button in the middle of her shirt. She gasped and jumped back as Rei smiled.

"This is it!" she chirped as she raised a hand to the sword. "All completed!"

"This," Kagome said as she cautiously stepped forward "is the Tenseiga?"

"It is," Sesshoumaru replied dryly as Kagome reached to touch the blade of the sword. Rei winced when Kagome touched it, waiting expectantly for Sesshoumaru to berate Kagome for bothering it. When nothing happened, she glanced up to find Kagome tracing her way to the hilt.

"You shouldn't do th-" she started to say, but a stern look from Sesshoumaru promptly shut down whatever she was going to say.

"Why is it shaped like a sword?" Kagome asked as she finally reached the hilt of the massive sword. From tip to hilt the blade was at least 9 meters long, with a 4 meter hilt and crystals along the length of the entire sword. 

Sesshoumaru shrugged and leaned against one of the rails. "I don't know. Irony I suppose."

Kagome nodded. 'It would figure that someone like him would make something that's used to save life look like something designed to take it.' She noticed the tip's position, and turned to Sesshoumaru quizzically.

"Why was it facing the door?"

Sesshoumaru brushed himself off and walked beside her. "It's facing the direction of the original Tenseiga."

"I don't get it."

"All Tenseiga's face-"

Sesshoumaru promptly interrupted Rei with an answer of his own. " The Tenseigas feed off each other and are all connected to a master Tenseiga. Each Tenseiga faces the master."

"Ohh…" Kagome nodded as she glanced back at the Tenseiga. "Kinda like satellite TV, right?"

"Hm!" the technician snorted. "It's nothing like-" Another icy glance from Sesshoumaru quickly silenced her again. She stared in uneasy awe as Sesshoumaru turned back to a blushing Kagome.

"Go ahead Kagome," he said softly. 

Kagome rested her right hand on her left side, her fingers drumming against her stomach nervously. "Well, I was just saying that it's kinda like satellite TV. You know, people have those little dishes in their backyard that can pick up channels from a satellite orbiting earth as long as those dishes have a clear view of a certain point in the sky. That one satellite serves thousands of people. What you said about the Tenseiga reminded me of that. They're kind of similar, or at least I think so."

Sesshoumaru nodded thoughtfully, his gaze to the side as he tapped his chin. "Yes, that's exactly it," he said finally. Kagome smiled when he returned his attention to her, her head tilted to the side as the technician stared at them both in shock.

'Is he actually, _praising_ her?' Rei asked herself as Kagome's smile widened. 

"Really?" Kagome said. Sesshoumaru nodded and stepped to her side for a closer look at the sword in question. 

"Yes. That is probably the best explanation I've heard yet." He traced his hand along one of the crystals on the sword's blade, then gave Kagome a genuine smile. "Perhaps you are in the wrong line of work."

Kagome's blush darkened as she smiled back. "Thanks," she said timidly as the technician's jaw hit the floor.

'Oh my _God_,' she thought as her brain sputtered under her confusion. 'He really is complementing her. I can't believe it. He doesn't say anything nice to _anyone_!'

"Now the only problem," Sesshoumaru continued as he walked around the Tenseiga. "Is why this isn't operational yet?"

He finally returned his gaze to Rei, who gaped a moment before speaking. "It is, Mr. Takamada."

"It's not on," he informed her, his fingers stroking the side of the blade as he stepped back. The technician nodded.

"We were waiting for you," she told him as she stepped to the hilt of the sword. She pulled a pair of goggles out of her pocket and flipped a switch on the control panel at her end. Sesshoumaru extracted a pair of goggles from his breast pocket, then noticed that Kagome was still staring at the Tenseiga, her eyes unprotected. At the last moment Sesshoumaru grabbed her and turned her around, his hand firmly cradling the back of her head as he gently pushed her face into his shoulder. A bright flash went off moments later, then faded into a soft glow as the Tenseiga began to hum. 

Sesshoumaru released Kagome as he removed his goggles. "Thanks," Kagome whispered as she turned around. Sesshoumaru nodded to the back of her head, watching with her and the rest of the technicians as the crystals along the blade lit up. One by one they came to life, finally stopping at the tip of the sword. Kagome stood stunned, the visual image of a sword dripping in blood burning in the back of her mind as the crystals turned a dark red.

The technicians cheered around them, startling Kagome out of her musings as Rei returned to them. "Finally," she whispered. Kagome smiled and placed her hand on the technician's shoulder. 

"Congratulations." Rei smiled back. "Thanks."

"Now that that's over, my assistant and I must be off," Sesshoumaru said, ending the celebration as quickly as it begun. The technician nodded dejectedly, then followed along with eight other technicians to the outer hall. 

"It really was great of you to come by for the instillation, Mr. Takamada," Rei said as they walked toward the elevator. "We were so thrilled when we received your email."

"What email?" Sesshoumaru asked offhandedly. He was watching the technicians around him. The gave him bad vibes for some reason. 

Rei gazed up at him in confusion. "Why, the email you sent saying not to install it until your arrival."

"I sent no such email." Sesshoumaru finally stopped and glared at her as Kagome's hand fluttered unnoticed to her stomach.

"As a matter of fact, I received an email requesting my presence," Sesshoumaru told her as Kagome paled. 

Rei seemed at a loss for words. "I don't know what to say. We never sent you an email. If you didn't send that email, then who did?"

"We did!" one of the technicians around them sneered. In an instant, Rei was unconscious and Kagome watched from the arms of three captives as four kidnappers disappeared with Sesshoumaru into the elevator. 

-----

SF/Kagome/Sango: Eeeek! The suspense!

{::All the males grimace and grab their ears as the cloaked figure glares at the girls::}

Cloaked Figure: What is your problem?

Kagome: The way it ended! You're going to get flamed for sure SF!

SF/Cloaked Figure: Nu-uh!

Cloaked Figure: I had nothing to do with it!

{::everyone stares as SF and the cloaked figure glare at each other:: ::they suddenly hug, startling everyone as they start to bounce around::}

SF: Hey! When did you get here?

Cloaked Figure: Since chapter seven of 'Sango's Seduction'!

SF: Oh my God! This is so great!

Inu-chan: HEY! {::SF and the cloaked figure stop and stare at Inu-chan::}

SF: What?

Inu-chan: Who is that?

SF: {::jerks the hood off the cloaked figure's head. Dark hair spills out, revealing a male kitsune youkai a couple of years older than SF::} This is my cousin, and new muse, Silver Fox!

Chapter Seventeen: A Truce and A Slow Melting

"How are you?" "Still sane, thank you very much," he told her as he reached up. … "We were at a café and some bloke ran past us and jerked Inuyasha's suitcase from Katrina. He shoved her pretty good too. She has road rash like a sonofabitch."…"What are you doing?" "I'm not trying to seduce you, if that's what you're thinking."

Responses:

Laina Inverse: I know! Shame on Naraku! {::boos Naraku::} Don't worry about it though. I'm sure someone will straighten him out.

Silver Mystic: You honestly have to give me a moment on that one. I'm working on it, but I haven't written the chapter for it yet. I know, I know, I'm a lazy slug-youkai, but I'm getting to it. My workload is quite large, as I'm sure you've read from my bio page. Thanks for the love!

Meow-Chan: Media Miner is mediaminer.org, another fanfiction site. If you ever need the link, email me and I'll send it to you.

AkxTp: That's fine. I totally understand that. That's why I'm sending you something, along with at least four other people. Don't worry; if you haven't received it by now, I'm working on sending it soon. It's something good, I swear. You want to be a hacker huh? hmmmmm....{::looks over the fic::} I do have a need for one, but they're not anywhere near Ah and Un. It's available, if you still want it. Thanks for the party! 

Aira^o^: They are, but 'Tested' won't be one of them. I explained my decision on my bio page, and I'm sure you'll be pleased with what I decided. 'Second Chance' is being updated on Saturday. And thanks for the snacks!

Jazzylady: Yup, you're right about that, especially with the plan I have in mind.

PasoLover: Hai, Commander! {::salutes, then giggles::} I'm coming with another update on all the stories as soon as possible. If you ever wonder about my schedule, check my bio page. I update it every week.

Nymph Demon: Don't worry, he will soon! Promise! {::laughs at the freshmen comment::} I don't know about that. My class were horrid freshmen.

Kaze16: Yeah, I said the same thing. I think the time spent around Miroku has corrupted him. I agree with you on the raspberries/chocolate thing. I'm not a big fan of cherries... but candy is good any day! {::pounces candy::} You know, I bet you're right! We should raid Sesshou's office!

Kikitravel: You will see, Grasshopper. You will see... {::nods sagely::}

Kagome: She might freak. You never know with her. I do agree with you though. I think Kagome is just what that bullheaded jerk needs. But that's just me. I tend to be wrong at times. 

Magic Gurl: I'll try to, but you know how that goes! 

UniquePyroPunk: {::blushes::} I know. I can't believe I did that! I can't believe I let him TALK me into doing that! {::sigh::} No, this fic is far, and I mean ffffaaaaarrrrrr from over. 

Strawberry Shortcake: It was kinda weird, but Sesshou wouldn't let her turn around so she could see him. She is a miko, but one that hasn't trained in how many years again? Kagome: {::counting on her fingers::} Sixteen...eighteen...twenty...twenty-five! Eleven years SF! SF: Thank you. So she knows that the youkai won't hurt her, but she can't pinpoint where it is. {::shrugs::} He could have, but Kouga spoke for him. You know Sesshou and that 'Holier than thou' complex. As for Katrina, um, let's just say that she's not exactly what she seems. You'll see what I mean later on.

LadyoftheDragons1: I hope he doesn't either, but you never know with Inu-chan. I know, to wait is annoying, but I need to establish some sort of trust between the two first. Don't worry though, when she finds out I'll be worth the wait. I'll let you in on a little secret: It's going to be a blast!

Dark Topaz: Thanks a lot!

Mistress Fluffy: That might be why. I never hug my computer. It might be jealous. I think you've mentioned that book. I think I've read it too, sometime before I graduated. I have another Anne Rice book for you. It's called 'Ramses the Damned' and it's one of the best romances I've read to date. And you can guess what it's about.

Tears-of-Silver: Thanks a lot and welcome to the archives!

Em Starcatcher: SF fix. I feel like the local, friendly street pharmacist. {::giggles::} Thanks for the info, and I think I have a different place for you. Let's see here...{::glances over 'To Bear...'::} Oh, you want to know where? I think I've told you already. If I have any problems, I'll be sure to hit you back.

Tiffany: I know! {::screams in delight::} I LOVE IT when he does that! It's so...so...so POWERFUL!!!! {::another scream, joined by Kagome and Sango:: ::other youkai and males wince and cover their ears::} Anyway, Kagome's not going to find out for a while now. I kinda want to establish something between her and Sesshou first.

Del_Kaidin: Yeah, she did try! Can't she get a cookie for trying? Inu-chan: Forget that. Let's see you strip again SF! Zap! SF: {::sigh::} I still can't believe I didn't sense the Miroku behind that. Oooooo! Of course I want one! Thanks for asking!

britn3y: I would, but I'd run out of story! Thanks for the love!

Sukera: Thanks a lot! I was rather hoping that it was somewhat original, but I think there's another story out there that's kinda like this one. 

Cryxxy-Chan: Are you talking about chapter 6? If you are, I'd be more than happy to send it to you. As for 'Trial of the Century' it's coming the first week of Oct.

Niamha: I hate math! My prof. has us doing some dumb project first, then we get to the dreaded math. Ugh! {::slumps in her chair::} Thanks for the love, and if I find another fic I'll tell you about it.

StarryEyedChick: Awwww...that sounds cute, even thought I do understand why you're doing that. They give me hell too. Hey! {::defends herself from the daggers::} Come on now! You don't think I'm going to ACTUALLY let Inu-chan get hurt, do you? Now really! Inu-chan: I knew you still loved me! SF: {::ignoring Inu-chan::} After all, if anyone's going to hurt him, it's going to be me!

Bikutoria: Don't feel bad. I get stuck on weird stuff too. I don't know why I think it's a family trait or something like that. Sesshou just doesn't want Kouga bothering Kagome for the moment. It's more of a 'No you can't borrow my hamster' kind of thing than a 'I love her so you can't have her' kind of thing. I said Sesshou was going to be a real trip, and in the next few chapters he really will be. Sesshou: Finally, back to being my ruthless, old self again. Thanks for the fight, SF. I needed that. SF: Not a problem. Um, as for Miroku {::points to a hanging cage::}, lets just say that he won't be suggesting anything else when I finally let him down from there.

Tessa3: I'm never able to leave a review. I always have to email the author. Sucks to death. See, I told you she wasn't what you thought she was. Don't worry though. She's not going to allow mean old Naraku to just run rampant on the Inu brothers either. Katrina is- Sesshou: A pain in the butt! SF: Hey! Keep your comments to yourself. Anyway, Katrina is special, and you'll find out more about her after I do a few things. Mainly let Kagome know just exactly who she's protecting. 

Ali B: Where have you been? I've missed you! One more week without any word and I was going to start looking for you! ^.^ Thanks for the review!

Tsuki no Tennyo: That's what I thought. I tried again, but just in case you didn't get it FF decided to be nice and let me review.

Ranma013: Thanks a lot! Welcome to the archives!

Hinoke: Not a problem. We all have our favorite parts of this story, and just because you skip a few doesn't mean you don't get the jist of it. 

Kousagi-chan: But of course!

Sukuri: Hey, I have a question: Could you help me find a story? I've been looking for it for a month and a half, and I still can't find it. The summary's something like Kagome's a vampire (I know, a thousand of those, but wait a moment) who's stopped feeding off blood and is now living with her friend Sango. The vampire that created her comes back for her, or some bushwai like that. Anyway, it's an S/K fic, and I can't find it to save my feathers. {::reads over the rest of review::} Wow. Thanks for the loyalty, and the patience! I do appreciate it! 

Inu-Tsuki: Are you talking about the promise from chapter fifteen? I got a little pissed off at Inu-chan on my bio page, and nearly zapped the heebee jeebees out of him. I apologized and he made me promise him the ending of chapter 15. That was Miroku's idea, and I'm still punishing him for it. Isn't that right houshi? {::glances up at Miroku, who's swinging from the ceiling in a cage::}

HellzAznGrl: Patience is a virtue, my dear. (That doesn't sound familiar, does it? ^.~) She will find out, I promise you. 

Kistune Princess: Oooo! Thank heaven! I need all the help I can get!

Koinu-Chan: Pixie Stixs!!! I love these things!!! Thanks for them and the love! I'm kinda attached to Miroku's perversity to be honest. He just wouldn't be him without it. And a blonde Kagome! LOL! I think I've done that one already! 

Aki no Yume1: I wondered where you were! Thanks for the review!

Badgerwolf: You know I aim to please! Glad you're enjoying it!


	17. A Truce and A Slow Melting

{Disclaimer: Hey! I've done this at least {::looks back at the chapters::} SIXTEEN TIMES already! If you don't know by now that I don't own them, you never will!}

Chapter Seventeen: A Truce and A Slow Melting

"Where are you going with him?" Kagome demanded as she struggled to get her arms free. One of the captors released her, allowing his cohorts to each grab an arm as he lightly tapped Kagome's nose.

"What you should be more concerned about is what we're going to do to you," he breathed in Kagome's face. She winced and shook her head instantly, trying to forget the smell of his breath as he and the others began to laugh.

"So you don't like my breath, eh?" he said as he tugged at the zipper of her skirt. "Too bad. You're going to smell a lot more of it in a moment."

"Really?" Kagome said doubtfully, finally gaining his attention. He let go of the unrelenting garment, deciding to just rip it off later as he glared into her eyes.

"Really. Why? What do you plan on doing about it?"

Kagome answered by kicking him in the groin, followed by kicking the one on her left in the ribs. She crossed her foot over and kicked the one on her right, the heel of her shoe slamming into his chin. He stumbled back, as did the one in front of her as the one on her left recovered. He waited until his comrades came to their senses, then they circled Kagome like a pack of wolves.

"Ganging up on a girl I see. Chivalry really is dead," Kagome said as she raised the zipper of her skirt to mid thigh. 'There,' she thought as she raised her fists. 'Now that's better.'

"We were planning on being easy on you, but I don't think our employer will care if you have a few bruises," the first one said as he charged forward, initiating the attack.

Kagome ducked, then kicked him square in the chest. He groaned as one of his ribs snapped, but came at her again. Kagome kicked him in the temple, watching with a smile as he slumped to the ground, unconscious. 

The second one, after wiping the blood off his chin, tried to knock Kagome's feet from under her. She countered by jumping up and kicking him in the forehead, rendering him useless to the third one as he too slipped into the dark abyss.

The third one, seeing how bad of an idea it was to attack Kagome first, motioned for Kagome to come closer. She smiled and obeyed, seeing through his tactic. She twirled in neat little circles as she came to him, pulling her hair out of the bun to swirl around her like a cloak. He watched, confused, as she came closer. Kagome waited until the last second, then backhanded him across the jaw. He reached for her and she attacked him again, this time kicking him in the shin and breaking his kneecap. 

Kagome's smile widened as he sat down with a thump on the cold linoleum, pain shooting up in his eyes as he glared at her. Kagome shrugged and ran to the elevator at the end of the hallway. She pushed the up button for a few minutes, then mentally smacked herself. 'Duh Kagome!' she told herself as she tried to pry the doors open. She applied her ki to her hands, watching with a satisfied smirk as the doors opened effortlessly.

"Hold on Takamada. I'm coming," she said as she took a few steps back, then launched herself across the elevator shaft to the cab cables. She grabbed hold and slid down to the elevator cab.

*

Sesshoumaru glared at the men around him as they taunted him and celebrated his capture. 

"What are you going to do to my assistant?" he demanded. He didn't like the look on Kagome's face when he last saw her, and he could have sworn he smelled her captors' arousal before the elevator doors closed.

"Oh, not a whole lot," the one holding him from behind said. "They're just going to have a little fun with her, that's all."

Sesshoumaru lowered his head as anger seeped into his blood. He struggled to keep his eyes from reddening as the men around him laughed. 

"Don't worry man," another said from the other side of the elevator. "She's in good hands. OUR hands."

This received another round of laughs and cheers from the men as Sesshoumaru expanded his youki. He refused to allow anything to show but his true eye color as he relished the feel of his old strength coursing through his veins. 

Sesshoumaru instantly rammed his head backward, into the nose of the man behind him. He slumped against the elevator wall, holding his spurting nose as the others ganged up on Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru ducked a wild punch from the first one, watching the fist as it passed his face in slow motion before smashing his fist into the guy's stomach. He shoved him to the side as two more grabbed his arms. He quickly brought his arms together, slamming the two men into each other head first. 

They were quickly tossed aside as the man with the broken nose decided to test his luck again. 

Sesshoumaru made short work of him, punching him in the nose then throwing him into the last man standing. He shrugged off his comrade, jumped in the air and tried to land a kick to Sesshoumaru's temple. 

Sesshoumaru easily caught him, holding him upside down as his face seemed to say 'Now really, did you think that would work?' as he slung him into the elevator walls repeatedly. After a while Sesshoumaru dropped him in a heap along with his friends.

{SF: Ooooo…that was sadistic. That poor guy…NOT!!! Muhahahahaha!}

'Now that that's done, time to get Kagome,' he said as he reached for the elevator stop button. He paused as something landed on the ceiling outside of the car. Sesshoumaru backed up as he heard the latch to the emergency hatch snap open, his fists balled and ready for another fight. 

"Takamada?" a timid voice asked as hair as dark as midnight cascaded into the elevator. The scent of thunderstorms and jasmine followed. Sesshoumaru relaxed, then returned his eyes to their human hue as he walked under the hatch.

"I'm right here," he said. Kagome smiled. "How are you?"

"Still sane, thank you very much," he told her as he reached up. Kagome rolled her eyes, then gripped his shoulders as he held her waist and helped her inside the cab. Kagome looked around after Sesshoumaru set her on her feet.

"Wow, what happened here?" she asked as one of the men coughed. 

"How are you?" Sesshoumaru asked, choosing not to answer her question as he looked her over. Other than the split in her skirt being higher (And I mean a LOT higher) she looked none the worse for wear. 

Kagome smirked. "Were you worried about me Mr. Takamada?" she teased, knowing she'd get a 'Hell no' in response.

"Yes, actually."

Kagome looked back at him, her eyes widening impossibly. "Really?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Really." He wrapped her in a gentle and disarming embrace, leaning slightly so his chin could rest on the top of her head. "You may be tough, but you're still female. They could have hurt you."

"Wow," Kagome whispered as her eyes widened more. "Um, thanks Takamada."

"Oh my aching head," one of the men said. Kagome and Sesshoumaru instantly sprang apart, Kagome blushing as she stared at the semi-conscious man.

{SF: Arg! That guy ruined the fluff! Arg!}

"Why is his nose bleeding?" Kagome asked as she pulled him off the others. Sesshoumaru shrugged as Kagome grabbed the man by his collar.

"Hey! Wake up!" she demanded, lightly slapping his face. The man opened his eyes, glancing at her then Sesshoumaru. His eyes widened in terror as he started to shudder.

"Keep him away from me! He's a monster!" he shouted. Kagome and Sesshoumaru fought the urge to cover their ears as Kagome looked back at Sesshoumaru.

"What's he talking about?"

"Like I know," Sesshoumaru said, giving an Inuyasha-like response. Kagome shrugged and looked back at the man.

"HEY! He's not the one you have to worry about! I am! I want information, NOW!"

"Ok, ok," he said, glancing behind her every so often. "I'll talk!"

"Who's your boss?"

"I don't know."

Kagome sighed. "Fine." She shoved him backward suddenly, the back of his head cracking on the elevator floor before she brought him to face her again. "Let's try again, shall we? Who's your boss?"

"I don't know!" He struggled when Kagome moved to 'punish' him again. "I don't! We never see his face! All we see is some dude in a baboon pelt!"

'Naraku!' Sesshoumaru mentally hissed, his eyes glowing a polished gold before he calmed. 'I should have known!'

"What were your orders?" Kagome demanded, shaking the man to rattle his nerves.

"O-Our orders were to blow up Takamada's plane and kill any survivors but you!" Kagome blinked curiously as he continued. "Then when you showed up in Seattle, the guy ordered us to take you both, but make you think Takamada was dead!"

"Thank you," Sesshoumaru growled as he reached over them to stop the elevator again. He jerked the man out of Kagome's grasp.

"Tell your boss," he growled. The sound rippled through the man's body, sending every nerve on high alert. 

"That this is a warning: Leave me and mine in peace, or he'll be found in pieces." 

Sesshoumaru pushed the button for the doors to open, tossed the battered and bloody man onto the next floor and closed the door behind him. 

"What did you do that for? And what was that 'Stay away from mine.' You said that crap at Naraku's ball!" Kagome demanded as Sesshoumaru reached inside his breast pocket for a handkerchief.

"You understand Japanese?"

Kagome rolled her eyes irritably. "Duh! I did spend my summers there, remember?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. 'I did forget that didn't I?' "To warn Naraku."

"From what?"

"From becoming a bother. It would seem that he didn't take the hint."

"We don't even know if Naraku sent them!"

Sesshoumaru glared at her as he cleaned his hands of the man's blood. "I know."

"Great! He's Miss Cleo now!" Kagome said as she stood up and threw up her hands. She checked on the men behind Sesshoumaru, a grim look on her face as she checked their pulses. "They're alive, but barely. Man, I'm not sure you need me after that. Oh!" 

Kagome stood up and yanked Sesshoumaru backward, ignoring his outraged protests as she glanced at the back of his head. "You're bleeding!"

"What?" Sesshoumaru said distantly. He didn't remember being hit, so how was he bleeding? 

Kagome searched the bloody area, then sighed. "It's not your blood," she said as she took Sesshoumaru's handkerchief and wiped her hand. Sesshoumaru straightened up, only to be pulled back down as Kagome dragged him out of the elevator.

"What are you doing?"

Kagome ignored him as she walked down the hall past a few employees, who stood open-mouthed at the disrespectful way Kagome handled Sesshoumaru. She opened the women's bathroom door moments later, sending dirty glances at the two that were in there. They blushed and scampered out, covering their giggles with their mouths.

"I said what are you-"

"Do you ever stop talking?" Kagome asked as she shoved Sesshoumaru's head into one of the sinks. Sesshoumaru immediately stopped, shock reverberating over him as he registered what she said.

"I can't believe you said that," he growled as Kagome turned on the water. "Ack! The water's cold!"

"I know," Kagome said gently as she scrubbed away at the back of his head. "But there is no hot water."

Sesshoumaru mentally grumbled, but kept quiet otherwise. He also made a note to add hot water to the bathrooms at the next budget meeting. Kagome rubbed away for a few minutes before she turned the water off and reached for a handful of paper towels.

"There," she said as she rubbed his hair dry. "Now let's see." She threw the towels away and gasped. "Oh no!"

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked as he glanced at himself in the mirror. 'Gods' he thought as he touched a strand of hair. 'I look like a chia pet!'

"It's pink!" Kagome replied. "The back of your head is pink! Why is it pink?"

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, reached inside his breast pocket for a comb, and proceeded to straighten out the gigantic afro into something more acceptable. He pulled it all back moments later, watching as Kagome turned an interesting shade of green.

"What is it?"

"We have to go back to the hotel," she said. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "Why?"

"Because there's _blood_ in your _hair_!" Kagome hissed. Sesshoumaru shrugged. 'I've been covered in blood. It's never bothered me before.' "I'm not taking off because of a little blood."

"But it's _blood_!" Kagome countered as she followed him to the bathroom door. "We have to get that out!"

"I said no." 

Kagome stopped in her tracks, glaring a hole in Sesshoumaru's back. "Fine then. Be that way." She shoved past him and out the door, ignoring the curious glances from the other employees as she opened Sesshoumaru's office door and slammed it shut behind her.

Sesshoumaru stood, still in the place she shoved him, trying to control his youki. 'She will be punished for that,' he mentally growled as he pushed back his growing power. He willed his eyes to return to their human color as he stormed down the hall and into his office, only to stop at the scent of Kagome's blood as he entered the room.

Kagome sat behind his desk, her shades hooked to her laptop. Sesshoumaru leaned against the front of his desk, deciding to wait until she finished her report to find out why she was bleeding. 

*

"No Sango, we're fine," Kagome said as she fiddled with the wire attached to her glasses. "They didn't hurt us. "

"Are you sure?" Sango asked from the other end. "You look drained."

"No lunch," Kagome complained. "I'm starving."

Sango gave a relieved laugh. "You know what? You're a trip."

"Yeah, a regular voyage to India. What's happening there?"

"Not a whole lot. Someone stole Inuyasha's laptop."

"Which one?" Sesshoumaru asked, moving into camera view. 

"Um," Sango turned to Miroku, who shrugged. "The black one. Not the IBook, if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh." 'No big deal then. That's just his journal.' Sesshoumaru leaned against the front of the desk, deciding to continue to wait for Kagome to finish once again.

"When did this happen?" Kagome asked, trying not to wince. Her right leg hurt for some reason, but she'd be damned if she showed this. It was her problem after all.

"Yesterday," Miroku said. "We were at a café. Some bloke ran past us and jerked Inuyasha's suitcase from Katrina. He shoved her pretty good too. She has road rash like a sonofabitch."

"Oh!" Kagome gasped. "Poor Katrina!"

"Yeah, she's the only thing that kept us from going after him. Inuyasha almost had a fit! I thought he'd go after the guy without us, but we took Katrina to the hospital instead. Poor kid."

"Aww. Well, tell Inuyasha and Katrina I said hello, OK?"

"Sure Kagome," Sango said. "Oh, and before you unplug, call Shippou. He wants to talk to you about something."

"Alright. Kagome out." Kagome disconnected with Sango and Miroku and immediately tapped the button to Shippou.

"Shippou here! What can I do for you Kagome-mama?"

"You wanted to speak to me?" 

"Sure!" Shippou held up a bag of gumball bombs. "I need for you to send these back."

"For what?"

"I've improved them. See, instead of just balls that blow up, I've made some for different purposes."

"Such as?"

"The green ones are tear gas, the blue ones are smoke screens and the red ones are the bombs. Oh, and the purple ones have beanbag bullets inside, so watch out when they go off."

"Oh. Ok," Kagome agreed. "Oh and Pup?"

"Yeah?"  


"I'm going to send the arm daggers back to you too."

"Why?" Shippou asked with a pitiful expression on his face. "Don't you like it?"

"Of course I do!" Kagome cooed, forgetting her hurting leg as she crossed her legs. "It's just that it's a tad bulky. I need something more discrete."

"Oh!" Shippou brightened. "I have the perfect thing! It'll be in Jacksonville before you get there. Just send the other stuff when you get back there."  
  
"OK Pup. Kagome out." Kagome unplugged the shades, then stuffed them and the laptop back inside her attaché. She glared up at Sesshoumaru as he watched her, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You know," he started "assistants don't sit at their boss's desk."

Kagome answered this by leaning back in his chair and propping her feet up on top of his desk. The split of her skirt fell open, revealing to Sesshoumaru a gash along her leg. He kneeled down and grasped her leg firmly, a silent order for her to comply as he inspected the wound.

"When did this happen?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome blushed. 

"I'm not sure," Kagome told him. "Most likely when I jumped down the elevator shaft. Don't worry about it, I'll heal it later. It shouldn't scar."

"But it can get infected," Sesshoumaru countered. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a first aid kit, opening it and pulling out a tube of disinfectant. "Now hold still."

"OW!" Kagome whined as Sesshoumaru spread a disinfectant-covered q-tip over the wound. "That hurts!"

"Why did you not tell me you were injured?" he asked her. 

"I didn't want you to worry after what you said in the elevator. I'm perfectly fine."

"Sure you are," Sesshoumaru teased as he wrapped the cut. "You're lucky. It doesn't need stitches."

"That's a relief," Kagome breathed as she glanced at him. Sesshoumaru chose to look up in that instant, and gray-blue connected with hazel. 

Kagome's breath caught in her throat. 'Wow,' she thought as she stared at him. 'His eyes are so beautiful. It's almost like a pure gold.' The idea of golden eyes brought her out of her musing. Kagome glanced down at the bandage, trying to fight the blush that threatened to stain her cheeks.

'What was she thinking about?' Sesshoumaru wondered as he caught the faint darkening on her cheeks. He opened his youkai senses to her and inhaled deeply, drawing in her scent, plus the fading scent of her heat. 'That's a small relief,' Sesshoumaru sighed as he inhaled again. 'One less thing for me to worry about.'

"This is a great job Mr. Takamada," Kagome said. "Where did you learn to do this?"

"I have to know a lot in this business," Sesshoumaru told her as he stood back up. He continued to breath in her scent, curious as to the faint twinge of guilt in her aura as he heat faded away. 'It's guilt and relief all at once,' he thought as Kagome inspected the bandage. 'Why would she feel like that, unless…"

"Kagome?"

Kagome blinked and looked up at him. "Yes Mr. Takamada?"

"I'm going to guess why you didn't tell me about your injury, and why you want me to wash my hair so badly. You let me know if I'm right, alright?"

"Whatever," Kagome grumbled, all good will for Sesshoumaru fleeing for the door in an instant. 'I forgot I was supposed to be angry with him.'

"You feel guilty, don't you?"

Kagome's eyes widened. 'What? How does he know-'

"You feel as thought you could have stopped the men earlier if you were only paying attention," Sesshoumaru continued as he read her aura. He could tell how correct he was by the way her aura flashed between amazement and curiosity, and by the way the guilt inside seemed to darken with conviction. 

"The blood in the back of my head is like a reminder of your foolishness, and the wound you feel you deserve for not doing your job, correct?"

Kagome nodded miserably. "I'm so sorry Mr. Takamada," she whispered, on the verge of tears. "I know I messed up. I'd understand if you wanted to replace me."

"Replace you?" Sesshoumaru wondered. "Why?"

"Why not?"

"Because you've done nothing wrong," Sesshoumaru assured her as he sat on the edge of his desk. "You are only human Kagome. You can't be on top of everything, even with your powers."

"But I'm supposed to protect you," Kagome countered. "How can I do that when people come from out of nowhere and just drag you away!"

"But they didn't, did they?" Sesshoumaru reached over gently tugged her chin up to raise her face to his. "You would have stopped them-"

"But you went all kung-fu on them," Kagome grumbled. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, biting back the growl in his throat. "I'm not finished. Don't interrupt again."

Kagome blinked, but closed her mouth and waited patiently for Sesshoumaru to continue.

"As I said, you would have stopped them eventually. That must have been your intent when you jumped down that elevator shaft, which was very brave of you by the way. I'm very impressed with you Kagome. You have done a wondrous job so far, and now I know that you'll go through just about anything to protect me. That is a comforting thought." Sesshoumaru sighed and looked away, considering something as Kagome gazed at him in surprise.

'I can't believe it!' she mused as Sesshoumaru kept his hold on her chin. 'Is he…he's not mad at me?'

"I tell you what," Sesshoumaru said finally. "Since the rest of the day is pretty much shot, and there's no hope of me finishing work whatsoever, how about we return to the hotel at-" He glanced at his watch. '3:02 pm.' "3:30? Then I'll wash my hair. Sound good to you?"

Kagome nodded weakly as Sesshoumaru released her. "Sure, Mr. Takamada."

"Nothing to it. Now if you please…"

*"Oh, sure. Sorry about that," Kagome said quietly as she stood up and hobbled away from the desk. Sesshoumaru watched her, waiting as she sat down and closed her eyes. She glowed pink moments later, it lasting for a few minutes. She opened her eyes and smiled.

"All better!" she announced. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Good. Now, a cup of tea would be good."

Kagome shook her head good-naturedly and left the office for the break room.

__

*7:13 PM Seattle, Sesshoumaru's Hotel Room*

"Where are you going?" Kagome called as Sesshoumaru walked past her. He backtracked to the kitchen and peered inside.

"I'm going to wash my hair," he told her. Kagome shook her head and pulled a chair from the nearby table. "No, I'm going to wash your hair," she said as she placed the back of the chair against the sink.

"Why?" 

"Because you can't see back there. I can," Kagome told him as she took the shampoo and towel out of his hands and pushed him into the chair. "Now be still."

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment to berate her for ordering him, but decided that it might be nice to have someone else do the tedious chore than himself. 'Besides,' he thought as he relaxed against the sink. 'It is her place.'

Kagome gently tugged Sesshoumaru's hair free of the ponytail, watching for a moment as the pale blonde strands poured into the deep basin of the sink. 'Wow,' she thought as she turned the water on and grabbed the sprinkler. 'His hair is better than mine.'

She fiddled with the water's temperature, then sprinkled a little on Sesshoumaru's head. "Too cold?" she asked.

"No," he muttered.

"Too hot?"

"No."

"Good." Kagome sighed, then started to dampen the left side of his head. She reached over to get the left side, but found it too difficult to reach. Kagome sighed, then moved to Sesshoumaru's right.

"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru asked when she picked up the sprinkler again.

"I couldn't reach, so I moved."

"Ah. I see."

Sesshoumaru quieted as Kagome dampened the rest of his hair, brushing back his bangs to mingle with the rest of the dampened strands.

Kagome paused for a moment, gazing at Sesshoumaru's face. 'He's…perfect…' Her eyes took in his every feature; the perfect arch of his eyebrows, the dark lashes that curled onto his cheeks like tiny strands of black silk, and the scar-less, creamy skin. 'His lips, they're surprisingly full for a guy. I wonder what it would be like to k-'

"Are you alright Kagome?"

Kagome blinked out of her stupor, blushing furiously. "Oh, yeah. Sorry about that." She nervously picked up the shampoo bottle from beside the sink, squeezing some in the palm of her hand. She ran soapy hands through his hair, admiring the pale strands as she worked on the infernal pink spot in the back of his head.

Sesshoumaru relaxed under her fingers, enjoying the way her short human nails lightly scratched his scalp. He could imagine her doing the same thing in his true form, his tail thumping the ground steadily under her gentle ministrations.

'How disgraceful,' he thought with a mental snort. But…'Human females have a tendency to cuddle soft things. Perhaps I will show her my youkai one day, and allow her to indulge in my fur.'

****

SF: If that's not arrogance, I'll eat one of my bracelets.

****

Kagome stepped away and made her way around him to his left side, repeating the process on this side of his head. 

Sesshoumaru nearly opened his eyes when she stepped away, but held on when he felt her eyes on him. He focused on her aura instead, and found her in deep contemplation. He could imagine her in one of her typical thinking poses; with her arms crossed over her chest, a dainty finger resting on her chin with her tongue caressing her upper lip. The mere thought warmed his blood suddenly and he struggled not to shift under her gaze.

'Ugh! There's no way a mere human would cause this kind of react-'

Sesshoumaru froze as he felt something slide past his knee, his ears twitching slightly as the whisper of fabric settled between his legs. 'What is she doing?' he wondered as he realized the warmth between his knees was Kagome. 'Is she purposely trying to seduce me?' He mentally shook his head. 'No. She wouldn't. I've known her too lon-'

All thoughts stopped when he felt something brush past his hip. Sesshoumaru finally opened his eyes, watching in barely veiled shock as he watched Kagome straddle his lap, her knees settling on either side of him.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she raised herself up and grabbed the sprinkler. Kagome blushed slightly before answering.

"I'm not trying to seduce you, if that's what you're thinking."

'That's exactly what I thought.' "Then what _are _you doing?"

Kagome's blush darkened. "It's too much trouble to walk around you to rinse your hair. This way is faster."

Sesshoumaru nodded as Kagome leaned up and over his head, her hands shaking his hair slightly as she rinsed it free of the soap. Her scent engulfed Sesshoumaru immediately, plunging him headfirst into swirls of jasmine, lavender and thunderstorms. He long distinguished the thunderstorms to be her power, but it surprised him at times. It would seem stronger when he was close to her, but not threatening. Sesshoumaru inhaled inconspicuously, his finger softly tapping her right knee.

"There!" she exclaimed softly, mindful of how close she was to his ears. "All finished!" She smoothed Sesshoumaru's hair down, searching for any sign of pink.

"No more blood! I'm thrilled even if you're not," Kagome said as she stepped to the side of his chair. "Just the thought made my stomach-oh!"

Her foot slipped on some water, throwing her forward and into Sesshoumaru. He instinctively caught her before she could fall into the sink, but came up close and personal with her chest as his nose smashed into it, knocking the back of his head against the sink counter.

"Uhhhhhhh…" Kagome groaned, her head hovering inches above the sink basin. "What happened?" She glanced down, in confusion at first, then in horror as she registered what happened…and who's head that was underneath her.

"Are you ok Takamada?"

"Mhumuhph."

Kagome mentally groaned as she slowly raised herself up. Sesshoumaru glowered from under her, his features obviously displeased at the abuse as his nose glowed red.

"Oh no," she gasped, plunking herself into Sesshoumaru's lap and grabbing his face. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry!" Kagome touched his nose gently, searching for any signs of injury as Sesshoumaru watched her. 

"You don't have to worry about anyone else," Kagome grumbled good-naturedly. "If this keeps up, I'm going to end up accidentally killing you."

"It is a small thing," Sesshoumaru whispered, finding her concern endearing. "Are you injured?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. Thanks for catching me."

"No thanks are necessary." He raised a hand to his face, it resting on one of hers. 

"Did you hit your head?" Kagome asked incredulously. She moved one of her hands to the back of his head, her fingertips lightly brushing against his scalp in search of a wound. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, leaning his head into her hand before gazing in her eyes. "I'm fine, Kagome."

He took some kind of pleasure from the soft shiver from her, the silky way he said her name having some unknown affect on her… 

And in that moment, he knew how to make her agree to stay with him.

Sesshoumaru raised her hand from his face, softly pressing his lips against her palm before returning it to her. "Thank you for being so concerned."

"Of-of course," Kagome stuttered, trying her best not to focus on the thrill that raced through her veins. "I didn't mean to-"

"I already know this," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her closer to him. He lightly pressed her head to his shoulder, leaning his head on hers and tenderly caressing her hair. "Don't worry yourself over me."

"Takamda-"

"Shhhh…."

Kagome instantly quieted, wondering to herself why she didn't bother to get up as Sesshoumaru's fingers gently glided over her face and hair. She yawned suddenly, the stress of the day taking its toll on her. Kagome curled her fingers inside his collar and yawned again.

"You're tired. Why don't you sleep a moment? Don't worry, I'll protect you for once."

Kagome nodded sleepily, relaxing around him in an instant as she fell asleep. Sesshoumaru watched as her legs slackened their hold, swaying slightly on either side of him. 

'I wasn't sure that would still work,' he thought as he released his mental influence. 'Especially on a miko as strong as she.' He looked down at her, her head nestled under his chin with an innocent smile on her face. 'She's going to make me soft,' he mused as he stood up. Sesshoumaru assured himself of his hold on her, then walked into the living room. He sat down softly, adjusting Kagome's legs around him before resting his chin on her shoulder. 'But…I don't care. At least not in private. She's supposed to take comfort in me, to obey me. All I have to do is get her to fall in love with me, then the rest will be easy.'

Sesshoumaru sighed, inhaling another swirl of her scent before drifting off to sleep, unaware of the crack that formed in the ice wall surrounding his heart.

----

SF: And so begins Sesshou's manipulations…

Silver Fox: Which will inevitably be his downfall.

Kagome: Truly. {::looks around as Inu-cast stare at her::} What? You hear SF say it a few times and I'll rub off on you too!

Sesshou: What do you mean 'Will lead to his downfall'? This Sesshoumaru-

SF: Don't start that crap again. 

Sango: I know. That 'This Sesshoumaru' mess gets old after a while.

SF: {::blinking::} Thank you…Sango. I couldn't have said it better myself. Oh, and the preview and the reviewer responses are below.

Chapter Eighteen: Sesshoumaru's Influence

'Fine. If it will get you to hush, then I do care. Happy?'…"In there," Sango pointed to Sesshoumaru's room. "About to rip Inuyasha's brother a new one."…'He's fucking _toying_ with her!'…"But if you keep going, you'll regret it and so will she."…"I'm Dr. Robert Kelson, and I'm the technician in charge of the Tetsusaiga project."…"But you really should get that appraised. It looks like a pink topaz, but it's too heavy, like a diamond or something."

Responses:

Dark Whispers: I'm sorry! {::hides behind Sesshou::} Don't hurt me! I had to. Sesshou: It is true. She promised a long overdue fight scene with yours truly, so that is the reason for the cliffhanger. SF: See, I told you it was for a good reason.

Badgerwolf: I know! He is, isn't he?

Cryxxy-chan: Alright! I just had to make sure! If you haven't seen it by the time I post this chapter, email me again or try to find it on mediaminer. You did and thanks so much! ^.^

AnImEfReAk81: Thanks a lot! The Tetsuaiga and Kanna appear in totally different chapters of the fic. I think the Tetsusaiga appears in the 'Sesshoumaru's Influence' chapter and hints of Kanna are in the same chapter. Kanna is also in one of the last fight scenes.

Tranador: Not long from now, I assure you. I still have some things to do first.

LadyoftheDragons1: Thanks! Leaving a cliffie is slowly becoming an art form to me.

Kikitravel: You know, Sesshou called me that exact thing on my bio page...ok, he said I was an evil bitch, but something close to what you said. Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying this! I hate homework too.

Child of the Ancients: Thanks a lot! I'm glad you're getting a good mental picture, because I can't draw a straight line. You've read all the fics? Wow, I'm flattered. Thanks again.

REDWOLF: I totally agree! I love it when he shows any kind of domineering power. Sesshou: You know what that means, don't you? SF: {::sigh::} What does it mean? Sesshou: It means that you secretly want to be controlled. You know, {::grabs SF's waist::} I'm just the youkai to do it. Whap! SF: {::sigh::} Why me? Anyway, thanks for the review!

Rain of Stars: If cliffies were illegal, I'd already be put in jail and you'd have to wait until I get out to get the rest of the story. Moms has already assured me that she wouldn't post bail, so I'd be stuck for a while. Now of course I couldn't tell you who said that, but I'm sure that you'll look for whoever said that in the above chapter. I haven't even started on 'What a Difference' but I have started 'Butterfly'. However, I don't even have a chapter one yet. I'm working on it, I am. 

Jazzylady: I know, I've heard that exact thing all week with what I did for the 'UA' series. Don't forget to read my bio page, just in case you haven't already.

Silver Mystic: Don't worry, Kagome's reaction is coming soon enough. I thought so too, but I'm going to have Inu-chan say something smart (gah!) and Sesshou do something dumb before he comes to that revelation.

StarryEyedChick: Someone gave me the name Rei as one of the secretaries, but I like that name too. I'm pretty partial to Nassruddin too. I think it's because its long and hard to say. Thanks a lot for the flashback review. I was kinda worried that Sesshou would be occ in it, but I've been told that he's occ in the entire fic. {::shrugs::}

Sukera: Yeah, it's called 'To Save Your Life' or something like that. It's pretty good too. Thanks for the originality vote though!

Val: I know, the jerk! I can't believe him! But what can you do. {::shrugs::} I agree with you on the slow relationship though. Sesshou's not going to realize just what he feels for her until Inu-chan does something smart (gah again!) and he does something stupid. I know, how weird is that, but you'll see what I mean when he does it. And you're right about the whole Japanese thing, but I would guess you figured that from the above chapter.

Aira^o^: Sesshou will make his 'move' on his own turf. See, this chapter starts his plan to possess Kagome, but after about chapter 17, the ball really gets rolling. I think it's chapter 17. Anyway, I want to see that too, but I'm not entirely sure as to when that will happen.

Nymph Demon: We were terrors. I admit that now. I denied it when I was a freshman, but now that I think about it...{::nods her head::} we put devils to shame. {::reads the grabs Kagome part of the review:: ::falls out of her chair laughing, leaving Silver Fox to finish the rest of the review::} So goofy. {::pokes SF with his toe::} Oh well. Anyway, it's good they both hit you. SF: Shame on you, S. Fox! They shouldn't have hit her! {::SF and Silver Fox start to argue, effectively ending the review::}

Tessa3: Sorry for the wait, I don't mean to take so long! Unlike 'UA' and 'Sango's' this one isn't near finished. I write the chapters per week. {::blushes at the thankyous::} You're quite welcome! I live to please, or else I wouldn't be going into the food services industry. {::shoves Silver Fox to the front::} Say hello, stupid! Silver Fox: Hello stupid! Whap! SF: Don't start that! Behave! Silver Fox: Alright already! Hello to you too, and you're very welcome! I have to kick her butt every few days to get her writing, but it's worth having to replace moccasins every two days to see your review. SF: {::eyes narrowed::} I should hit you again...

Niamha: Total hell, but I passed. Thanks for asking. Anywhen, I know what I did for 'Trial' was rather ugly, so I decided to post the first chapter early! Enjoy!

Bikutoria: Good, because I don't know jack about him! {::blushes::} I can't believe that either, but hopefully I'll get lots of help! That analogy came from Silver Fox himself, who read the chapter and said, 'It's kinda like he doesn't want Kouga touching his pet hamster or something.' {::sigh::} He's so strange, but what male isn't? Silver Fox: I heard that. Yup, I'm SF's cousin. The little muse is still running around here somewhere. SF didn't like the idea of a 3 year old writing fluff and lemons, which I happen to agree with, so I offered to write them for her. So the fluff is hers, the ideas are the little muse's, and the lemons on mediaminer are mine. 

Sesshyangel: Oh Gah! I'm so sorry about that! Ok, check this out: the Tenseiga itself is that large sword-like thing described in the earlier chapter. The pen-like lasers are connected to it, kinda like a cellular phone. The Tenseiga is the power source for the lasers. Get it? If you don't let me know and I'll get Moms to explain. She's able to explain moss on a rock. Now you know that I'm not going to allow Sesshoumaru to get kidnapped _twice_! That's just not me. It helped to get one of the many fight scenes underway. I deleted 'Tested' because I got stuck. Dreaded writer's block jumped me and hasn't let go since. Of course I missed you! I check you're bio page to see if you update, and my email just in case. I'm not going to post 'Gundam Equ.' until 'Trial' is three chapters away from being over. Oh, and speaking of 'Trial' did you hear? I updated it early...

HellzAznGrl: It's all a part of the deal I promised Sesshou. You see, to get him to agree with this, his contract states that he has to have at least 5 fight scenes and he gets to kill Naraku. {::shrugs::} Men, they won't do a thing for nothing anymore.

Inu-Tsuki: Glad you think so, because he's going to be hanging out there for a long time.

Strawberry: The kidnappers were human, which explains the excessive beat-down Sesshou managed to serve. Wasn't it great?! I love it when he does that! Nope, Kagome still doesn't know. I know, I'm dragging the hell out of it, but it's for a good cause. You'll see, I promise. You know, I've heard the same thing about outbursts. If it's true, then I need to seek professional help as soon as possible. Thanks for the praise and I'm working on the next chapter as we speak.

AkxTp: Yup, you get your wish. You are going to do something important for the case at hand. You'll see. {::grins mischievously::} Kagome's going to find out soon, I promise. I still have to get some things accomplished. Yup, you guessed right. Another sneak. Shame on them! {::shakes her finger at Sango and Miroku::} So unprofessional! Crab cake is a little round patty made of crab meat and breadcrumbs. There are other things too to hold it together, but it's basically that. Um, it's pretty good, as long as you get the right crab meat. Some people get the wrong kind and try to freeze it. Then they nuke it and serve it to you. Totally tastes like a rubber Mighty Mouse ball. {::throws a purple glass bead at Fluffy:: ::Fluffy disappears::} There, that takes care of your Fluffy problem. Silver Fox: Where did he go? SF: Straight to the showers in the theatre basement.

Hinoke: Alright, the cliffie was very wrong of me. Almost as bad as what I did for 'Trial'. If you're willing to forgive me, then I won't cry and flood the stage.

ForestSprite: Thanks a lot! I update every Wed. Welcome to the archives!!!

Aki no Yume1: I have been waiting for your question! I'm so glad you asked it! It is rather unusual for Naraku to want something that's designed to be of some good, isn't it? Well, I'll let you in on a little secret: He doesn't want it by itself. He wants three things, and the Tenseiga (or one of them) just happens to be on his grocery list.

Koinu: I know! I love it too! Oooo! {::divebombs brownies::} Thanks so much! We love brownies, right gang? {::Inu-cast agree as Silver Fox glances over his shoulder from the computer::} Silver Fox: Hey! Are those brownies? SF: Yup! You want some? Silver Fox: Sure! {::SF goes over with the plate in her hand:: ::Sesshou steals it away::} Silver Fox: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!! Sesshou: No brownies for you until you write at least one of the lemons for mm. You haven't even started, you lazy kitsune! 

Silver Fox: You may scare the girls around here, but you don't scare me! I'll kick your ass and make a lemon about you and Kouga! {::reaches for the brownies:: Silver Fox and Sesshou get into it::} SF: {::sigh::} And there they go. Honestly, how on earth do I get any work done. Never forget to burn the Kikyou dolls. That is a must, and the fumes help the story.

Phoebemoon: Yeah well, I'm always blushing around here. There's no telling what you guys say. I love it though.

Em Starcatcher: I know! I'm so proud of myself! {::pats back::} I didn't think it was possible! I think the first chapter to 'Trial' might be longer though. I don't pay attention anymore. It's school's fault. I read Celyia's 'Falling Stars' and it was the first time I'd seen Sesshou nice to Inu-chan's mom too. I thought it was a good idea so...here we are. Thanks for the compliment! Oh, and did I tell you that you're in the next chapter? I did! Oh well, I'll tell you again! ~.^

NoLabel: If you change your name one more time, I'm going to get confused- Silver Fox: Which isn't hard to do. Whap! SF: {::standing on Silver Fox's chest::} Let's not deal with him right now. Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you liked it! {::starts to laugh::} You got _shivers_?! Wow, I didn't think I could do that. Kagome: Um, SF. SF: Yeah? Kagome: Silver Fox is trying to tell you something. SF: What do you want now? Silver Fox: I see London {::gasp::} I see France {::pant::} I can see SF's {::gag::} underpants. SF: GAH! {::kicks Silver Fox, calls him a pervert and walks away::} Silver Fox: {::shrugs::} What? She was standing on my chest. Like I could help it.

Kagome: Me either! I've read some good ones, but the pairing as a whole bothers me. It's like incest, you know? I'm coming as fast as my little fingers can go, but thanks for being willing to wait for me! Oh, and no problem about the long message. I like them!


	18. Sesshoumaru's Influence

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Eighteen: Sesshoumaru's Influence

__

/5:50 PM, Outside Sesshoumaru's office in Seattle/

Kagome leisurely leaned against the desk, giving a slight nod every now and again as Sesshoumaru's secretary explained the 'essentials' for working for a man like Sesshoumaru.

"Mr. Takamada is a very interesting person indeed,' the secretary said wistfully. Kagome smiled down at her then sipped a little of her hot chocolate.

'So, she has a crush,' she thought as the secretary's cheeks turned a faint pink. 'How cute.'

__

'If it's so cute, then why do you all of a sudden want to strangle her?' asked a mischievous voice in her head. Kagome quickly squashed it as the secretary came out of whatever fantasy she had created in her mind.

"Oh, sorry about that." she said sheepishly. Kagome waved the apology aside. "Not to worry. What's your name anyway?"

"I'm Carol."

"Kagome, good to meet you."

Carol smiled up at her, her dark eyes twinkling. "You're so nice. Most of Sesshoumaru's temps are too nervous to talk, or they're snotty because they think that they'll somehow lure Mr. Takamada into their beds. You just seem to not care about that."

'That's for damn sure,' Kagome thought as she nodded. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Do you have any questions?"

"As a matter of fact," Kagome started, remembering something she wanted to ask when she arrived. "I do. Why are the branches named?"

Carol blinked in confusion, then nodded. "Oh, that. Well, you know how other corporations have branch numbers like 'McDonald's branch number 001' or something like that?"

"Yeah?"  
  
"Well Mr. Takamada wanted to be different, so he planned for names instead of numbers. You can tell the name of a branch by what the building looks like."

"I'm not following you," Kagome told her. Carol sighed, leaned forward, and grabbed a picture from inside one of her desk drawers.

"Ok, this is a picture of the branch in Jacksonville, right?" she asked as she handed Kagome the picture. Kagome nodded and gave it back to her.

"Yeah. So?"

"What's the name of the branch?"

"The Glass House."

Carol slapped the picture down and turned it toward Kagome. "Why is it called 'The Glass House'?"

Kagome leaned over and studied the picture. The window panes of the building were large and blue, giving it the impression of being entirely see through. "Because it's made of glass?"

"Right again!" Carol chirped as she grabbed another one. "Now this is us. Why are we 'The Stone Temple'?"

Kagome again studied the picture. This building wasn't like The Glass House at all. It mostly glass, but the windowpanes were tinted a dark gray, with concrete separating them. The entrance doors were like the doors to the dungeons in medieval times. Kagome nodded her head in understanding. "I see now."

"Good! You're a fast learner!" Carol lined up the two pictures and reached inside her desk as she explained. "There are ways to tell the names of a building. One is the building's location. There are 100 branches in America, twenty in Great Britain, forty in Japan, and three in Canada. Now I won't tell you the name of this next picture. Guess which it is?"

Kagome stared at this new picture, wondering if Carol confused the pictures. Before her was a picture of a roman temple, complete with statues of Greek gods. The only telling difference were the windowpanes embedded in the white marble. The sun rose from behind it, making the marble glow with a divine radiance.

"Wow," Kagome breathed. Carol nodded. "I know. It's beautiful."

"Where is it?" Kagome asked.

"In Greece, outside of Athens. Now what's the name?"

Kagome took a moment to get over her awe to study the details of the picture. 'The statues are of one person,' she noticed. 'And so are the carvings. It's a man, with a lyre if I'm not mistaken.' On the roof was a statue of the man, riding a chariot pulled by flaming lions and tigers. The light of the sun streamed around him, and it seemed as if he were pulling the sun over the sky.

'Over the sky! That's it!' Kagome smiled and pointed to the statues at the entrance to the building. "This one," she said as she pointed to the man. "Is Apollo."

"Very good," Carol said again. "But what's the name of the building?"

"The Temple of Apollo, or The Rising Sun."

"Very good," Carol said. "Apollo's Temple. Not bad for a first timer."

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome. The only one to get that right is Rin, but she named that branch herself so she would."

"Hm, that's interesting…."

"Another thing to remember is that there are always similarities in the branches," Carol told her before Kagome could take the time to ask why Sesshoumaru allowed someone else to name the building when he so obviously took pleasure in naming them himself.

"Such as?"  
  
Carol smiled and pointed to the three buildings. "No matter what differences lie, Mr. Takamada always uses one of two shapes for the buildings. Some, such as The Glass House, are in the shape of a U. Others, like us, are in the shape of an H."

Kagome nodded. 'Wow, who would have thought that a corporate brain would be so creative?'

"But you should see the main branch," Carol said, breaking through Kagome's musings as she put the pictures away. "I've only seen it once, but I remember it clearly. It's so beautiful."

"What does it look like? Where is it?"

Carol smiled. "Oh, I can't tell you that. If you stay with Mr. Takamada, you'll see it for yourself. You're a bright girl, so you'll know it when you see it."

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru called. "Let's go, we have a flight to catch."

"Oh, sure!" Kagome ran up to him as he stepped into the elevator, waving goodbye to Carol before the doors closed.

"So what did you and Carol talk about?" Sesshoumaru asked as he and Kagome boarded the plane.

Kagome sat opposite him, marveling again at the simple beauty that was everything owned by him. This plane was decorated in reds and blacks, with an occasional silver decorative scattered here or there.

Kagome stood up and checked the cockpit, not wanting to repeat the experience she and Sesshoumaru shared coming to Seattle on the way home, then sat back down.

"Why do you insist on your branches having names?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I figured that would be what she deemed important to talk to you about. I don't want to be like the other corporations. I feel that the names give the buildings character, and a beautiful workplace inspires some to actually take pride in what they do. In that sense, they work harder, and leave feeling satisfied."

Kagome nodded. "But the buildings are so…beautiful."

Sesshoumaru leaned forward, his hand lightly swirling the glass of wine in his hand. He glanced at it, at the simplistic beauty of the hand-blown glass before turning to Kagome. "I insist that all that surround me be beautiful in some way or another."

Kagome blushed. "I see."

"Not yet," Sesshoumaru told her as he raised the glass to his lips. "But perhaps one day you will."

Kagome's blush darkened slightly as Sesshoumaru sipped a small amount of the wine. 'Perfect,' he thought from behind the rim of the glass. 'This is going to be easier than I thought.' He sat the glass down beside him and glanced back at Kagome, only to hear her startled gasp.

"What is it?" he asked as she paled before him. "Kagome are you ok?"  
  
Kagome blinked, then sighed. "Yeah. Sorry about that. For a second, the wine dribbling down the corner of your lip looked like blood."

'Blood? Huh?' Sesshoumaru glanced at the mirror behind Kagome's head, then mentally cursed. True to Kagome's word, some had escaped his attention, rolling sluggishly down the side of his mouth. He moved to remove it when Kagome stopped him.

"Here, let me." She stood up and leaned over him, offering a sweet smile as she brushed his hand aside and reached inside his breast pocket for his handkerchief. Kagome folded it into a small triangle, using a small corner to lightly dab at the spilled liquid.

Her face contorted into a slight frown moments later as she stood up and glared at him. "It's not coming off," she muttered. Kagome handed the handkerchief back to Sesshoumaru, leaning over him again as she glanced curiously at the spot.

"Don't worry about it," Sesshoumaru told her, watching the mischievous gleam in her eyes brighten for a moment. "Kagome, did you hear me?"

"Um-hm," she hummed, nodding her head slightly. "That's what we'll do then."

"Do what?"

Kagome smiled, then closed the distance between them and leisurely lapped at the corner of his mouth. Sesshoumaru sat, too stunned to move as she cleaned up the spill, the warmth of her tongue creating a slight fog in his mind. Kagome pulled back after a moment, and smiled.

"Perhaps red wine is better than I thought…"

"Mr. Takamada!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open sharply, blinking as they took in his surroundings. Kagome hovered mere inches from him, waving her hand in front of his face.

"Mr. Takamada?"

Sesshoumaru mentally shook the cobwebs out of his head, realizing that they were still in the back of the limo. "What, where?" he started to say before Kagome answered him.

"We're on our way to the airport. You fell asleep. Are you alright?" she asked as she checked his forehead for a temperature.

"I'm fine," Sesshoumaru grumbled as she pushed her hand away. 'It was only a dream,' he realized as he recalled the last few minutes he could remember. 'But…it was almost real.'

"Perhaps we should see a doctor," Kagome suggested. Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No, I need no such thing. I'm fine."

"Alright then. " Kagome shrugged off his stubbornness, counting it up to male pride and other such nonsense as she came up with a bright idea.   
  
"I know! Why don't I teach you a levitating spell? I'm sure it might come in handy."

Sesshoumaru mentally groaned, but nodded his head. 'I know whatever it is she's going to teach me, and then some. Still, it wouldn't hurt to see how vast her knowledge of the arts are.' Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome started to demonstrate with a glass of wine.

/1:06 PM, Thursday, Sesshoumaru's office in Jacksonville/

Sesshoumaru stared at the computer screen, his fingers methodically clicking on the keyboard as his mind wandered back to last night.

'I'm so close,' he mused as he continued typing. 'Kagome is nearly there, nearly ready to accept that she is mine. She takes comfort in me now, and she's learning to listen to me.' He released his hold on the keyboard for a moment, lightly rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. 'The only thing that bothers me are her nightmares. They haunt her every night, and every night she trembles in my arms.'

Sesshoumaru left his eyes for his temples, softly massaging the tender tissue to ward off another Kagome-induced headache. 'Every night, she begs someone not to leave her. She cries…why in the hell do I care?' Sesshoumaru mentally berated himself. 'The only thing that should concern me is whether or not she obeys me and my little plan works. That's all!'

Sesshoumaru sighed, then turned his chair to face the outer window. 'But I can smell her fear. Something is hurting her.' Sesshoumaru mentally snorted, turned back to his computer and began typing again.

'I don't care if she's hurting or not, just so long as she doesn't rebel against me.'

__

'Shame on you Sesshoumaru!' a voice that sounded a lot like him scolded in his mind. _'Shame on you for lying!'_

'Lying? To whom?' Sesshoumaru nearly said aloud. The voice clicked its tongue in shame. _'To yourself, for one, and to her for another. You care about her and you know it.'_

'She is human. All humans are weak and frail, so they are always hurting.'

__

'That's crap and you know it!' the voice argued back. _'The least you can do is admit that you are concerned! After all, you wouldn't want Rin to hurt in such a way!'_

'Rin is different. She is mine.'

'Stubborn…you said Kagome was yours too.'

'Fine. If it will get you to hush, then I do care. Happy?'

The voice sighed, and from somewhere in the deepest regions of his frozen heart, Sesshoumaru could see a copy of himself shaking its head in disgust. _'Ecstatic. Ask her about the dreams.'_

'No.'

The voice sighed again. _'If only I had a brick wall. That way I would have a cause for the effect I'm getting from you. Why not?'_

'She would never tell me in front of her comrades.'

__

'Then get her alone. You want to do that anyway.'

The phone rang, postponing the conversation. Sesshoumaru sighed in relief, then picked up the receiver.

"Yes."

A moments pause, then

"Friday? I don't know. I need to check my schedule." Sesshoumaru opened his schedule file, searching for this coming Friday.

"No, I have nothing but….I see. Very well. Expect me tomorrow." Sesshoumaru hung up, then mentally went over the conversation. 'Aaaaah….now that I think about it, this might be a good thing. I need to go home anyway.'

Kagome walked in, a slight bounce in her stride as she brought him his cup of tea. "How are you Mr. Takamada?"

Sesshoumaru gracefully accepted the cup, taking a small sip as he motioned for her to sit down. "I am as I always have been," he paused a moment, then whispered in the same voice he used the night she washed his hair "Kagome."

He smirked unseen at her slight shudder, then set the cup down and leaned toward her from behind his desk. "However, I do need to tell you something."

"Shoot," Kagome chirped with a smile.

"I have a business conference in Cape Canaveral tomorrow, then I must return to Boston."

"Return?" Kagome repeated. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes, return. I have not been home in a while."

"So you live in Boston, right?" Sesshoumaru nodded again, watching as a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "Alright," she finally said. "Myself and the others will be ready in-"

"They're not going."

Kagome blinked, surprised by his interruption. "Excuse me?"

"They're not going."

"And why not?"

Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. He had a feeling he was standing in the calm before the storm, and he really didn't feel like arguing with her today. "They must stay here to protect Inuyasha."

"But isn't he coming too?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "There is no need. Inuyasha lives here, in Jacksonville. The only reason he stayed at the hotel was because of the FBI."

"So you live in Boston, and Inuyasha lives here?"

"Correct."

Kagome took a moment to process this, then "Why weren't we told that there would be a chance of you two separating?"

Sesshoumaru rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "It was not relevant at the time."

"Relevant my ass!" Kagome hissed, standing up. "You purposely withheld information from us! _Important _information! Not only that, but now someone else will have to be assigned to protect Inuyasha!"

"For what?" Sesshoumaru asked, watching her in amusement.

"Because we were assigned to protect you first, him second, that's why!" Kagome huffed as if it were common knowledge.

"But they're not coming with me. You are."

"Huh?" Kagome thumped back in her chair, her eyes wide. "What was that?"

"You are coming with me. Sango and Miroku are staying here."

"But why?"

Sesshoumaru sighed, as if this too were common knowledge and he shouldn't have to even explain it. "Because Inuyasha trusts them as much as I trust you. They will stay here with him and you'll come to Boston with me."

"For how long?"

"It's my home. For as long as I deem necessary."

Kagome nodded, her eyes closed in thought. Sesshoumaru watched her still, trying to get a feel of what she would say from her aura. 'Perhaps she has excepted her place,' he thought as the calming swirls of baby blue serenity danced in her aura.

"Hmmmm…." she finally said, standing up. "I guess you're waiting for me to say something, right?"

"Correct."

"Ok, here it is: Change your plans. You're not going." And with that, she left his office with a huff.

Sesshoumaru smirked. "I had a feeling you would fight this," he said to himself as he picked up the phone.

"Forgive me my pet, but I have no choice."

He waited patiently for the end to connect, then smiled as a woman's voice answered the other end. "Yes, I would like to speak to Sgt. Milstrome please."

__

/7:45 PM, Outside Sesshoumaru's hotel room/

"I cannot believe he said that!" Sango gasped after Kagome relayed to her and Miroku what Sesshoumaru said to her. "Why didn't he tell intelligence?"

"I haven't a clue," Kagome sighed, her hands balled into fists in her lap. "But he didn't sound sorry."

"The bloke must have had a valid reason," Miroku said, trying to soothe the rising anger of the two women around him. Sango huffed. "I doubt it. I think it's more of a control thing. He can't separate us, can he Kagome?"

Kagome shook her head. "We were assigned to the both of them, but mostly him. He needs all three of us to protect him."

"You know what you should do," Sango said suddenly. "You should call Kaede! Have someone else protect the jerk!"

"That has already been arranged."

All three turned around, staring at Sesshoumaru casually leaned against the doorframe. He shot a glare to Sango, then tossed a piece of paper in her lap, turned and left the hallway, closing the door behind him.

Kagome grabbed the paper before Sango could react. She and Miroku watched as Kagome read, her face slowly contorting to rage. "That arrogant…self-serving… ignorant…_bastard_!"

"What is it Kagome?" Miroku asked. Kagome took in a deep breathe before reading the paper to them, her small frame shaking in silent fury.

To: Higurashi, Kagome; Houshi, Miroku; and Taiji, Sango stakamada.wct

From: Sergeant Kaede Milstrome 

Due to the sudden request by one Sesshoumaru Takamada, the three of you are to be reassigned.

Sesshoumaru Takamada is now reassigned under the sole protection of Marshal Higurashi.

Marshals Taiji and Houshi are now fully responsible for the safety of one Inuyasha Hitame.

Marshal Higurashi is still team leader, and one Shippou Moraiga will still be in charge of technical support.

This new assignment is to be instated immediately.

Sergeant Kaede Milstrome, US Marshals Atlanta Headquarters.

"Are you serious?!" Sango screeched. "You mean to tell me that he _separated _us?!"

"Looks like it. Um, Kagome," Miroku said as Kagome stood up and opened Sesshoumaru's door.

"Perhaps you should wait until you've calmed-"

Slam!

"Down a bit," Miroku finished. He cast an uneasy glance to Sango as Katrina and Inuyasha stepped out of Inuyasha's room.

"What's going on?" Katrina asked. "Where's Kagome?"

"In there," Sango pointed to Sesshoumaru's room. "About to rip Inuyasha's brother a new one."  
  
"What did Fluffy do?" Inuyasha asked, thought the idea of Kagome and Sesshoumaru fighting deemed interesting. Sango passed him the fax from headquarters and waited while he and Katrina read.

Katrina passed Sango the paper back as Inuyasha groaned. 'You've done it now, Sesshoumaru.' "I take it Kagome's not happy."

Sango reached for the door knob, her hand jerking away from an unknown barrier. "I don't believe unhappy is the right word for it at the moment. I think she's going to hurt him."

'Then this is something I have to see,' Inuyasha thought as he opened his room door. "I'll be right back. I forgot something." He disappeared inside, only to be followed by Katrina a few moments later. "I forgot something too," she told Miroku and Sango.

I landed on the balcony just in time as Kagome stormed into Sesshoumaru's bedroom. The look on her face promised a good fight, and I couldn't wait to see it. I mean, I know Fluffy cares about her and all, but perhaps separating her and her friends wasn't such a good idea. I wonder why he did it. Oh! Here we go! That corner by the door looks good enough to hide in.

"3...2...1"

Bam!

Sesshoumaru turned away from his closet, barely casting a glance at Kagome as she slammed his bedroom door shut.

"Just who do you think you are?" she hissed, her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed. Sesshoumaru reached under his bed for another suitcase and set it on the bed before flinging in a pair of slacks.

"What are you talking about?" he finally asked her, though he knew exactly what was going on. Kagome scowled, resisting the urge to rip his lungs out.

"I'm talking about what you just did! I can't believe you separated us like that!" she hissed. "Do you know what kind of trouble you're in?!"

"No," Sesshoumaru replied absentmindedly. "Why don't you tell me?"

Kagome scowled again, her eyes narrowing impossibly. "You just made it easier for someone to assassinate you." She sighed and sat down in the easy chair, her head resting in her hands. "Sango, Miroku and I work together as a team. What one of us doesn't know, the other most likely does. If there's another bomb threat in Boston, I wouldn't know what to do and there wouldn't be enough time to call Sango. The best I could do is try to get us out of there, but it would still put dozens of people in danger. I can't protect you by myself."

Sesshoumaru sat down at the foot of the bed in front of her, watching as she ran nervous fingers through her hair. "But that's what you've done all along."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked irritably, her nerves already shot to hell.

Sesshoumaru sighed, then inwardly smirked, seeing another opportunity to bewitch the young miko in front of him. He reached over and grasped her hands in his, her open palm facing him as his thumb began slow circles in the middle of them.

"You've protected me by yourself since you arrived," he started, taking note to Kagome's down-turned head. "From the first day, when you tackled that would-be assassin, to last week when you slid down that elevator shaft. You've always protected me, just as Sango and Miroku have protected Inuyasha." He sighed then, palming her hands in one of his as he reached out and lifted her chin so he could stare into her eyes.

"Inuyasha trusts Sango and Miroku just as much as I trust you. So it was necessary for the three of you to separate, if only for a while. I can't stay here. If I could, then I would, but I trust you enough to feel like I can continue with my business successfully."

'Did I just hear that right? Did Fluffy say that he _trusted_ her?' I shook my head in disbelief. 'No way. Fluffy trusts no one.' However, this was proving to be quite interesting, so I stayed still and watched as Sesshoumaru let go of Kagome's face and started talking again.

Sesshoumaru waited patiently for Kagome's reaction. She stood still for a moment, a slightly dazed look on her face, but it slowly faded to mild confusion. "I don't understand. How does you trusting me have to do with your business?"

'Ahh, smart girl,' Sesshoumaru mentally praised as he sighed yet again. 'But I would have no less.' He glanced to the side, his eyes distant as he explained his choice of words.

"I don't trust anyone, no less people I don't know. But I trust you with the success of my business, the jobs of my employees, the successfulness of any future projects and much more. All of this depends on my life, and there is no one more qualified to keep me from harm than you."

Kagome blushed under the pretty words, taking them to heart even in her doubt. "I don't know about this…"

Sesshoumaru nodded, expecting her to not be so easily won over. 'Oh well,' he said to himself as he lowered his head. 'May as well put in a little overkill.' He let go of her hands, returning them to their owner before untying his ponytail.

"But I do," he said finally, glancing up at her before looking back down at his lap. "I've known since you started this assignment. For the first time since this mess started, I feel safe. I guess that's why I insist on being near you so often." His ears perked at her soft sniff, a seeming joy spreading through him at his success. Sesshoumaru glanced away again, staring at the bathroom door as Kagome stared at him.

"It's been so long since I had someone look out for me," he whispered, watching the desired effect spread across Kagome's face out of the corner of his eye. "I haven't felt as safe as I do with you since my mother died." 'And now for the killer.' He closed his eyes and willed a single tear to slide down his cheek.

Kagome blinked, not entirely sure what she was seeing. 'Is he…._crying_?' She watched as another escaped Sesshoumaru's closed lids, and another as shock spread all over her body. 'Oh no,' she mentally bemoaned. 'I made him cry!'

'What the hell?' I blinked, then rubbed my eyes before peering through the balcony windows again. 'Is he…_crying_? What in the hell is going on?' I started watched as Kagome stood up and hugged him, listened to her whispered apologies…and watched the bastard smile. 'He's fucking _toying_ with her!'

Kagome stood up instantly, moving to his side and wrapping her arms around him before one more tear could fall. "I'm so sorry Mr. Takamada," she whispered, resting his head on her shoulder. "I didn't know."

"It's my fault," Sesshoumaru whispered, ignoring the guilty feeling building in the back of his conscious. "I didn't mean to burden you-"

"Nonsense," Kagome told him, her fingers intertwining comfortably through his hair. "I didn't know. I'm being selfish. I'm glad you trust me so much." She sighed then, stood up and walked toward the bedroom door. "I'll go with you Mr. Takamada. Let me give Sango and Miroku their new orders."

"Of course Kagome," Sesshoumaru whispered. He captured her wrist before she could leave, schooling his face into total seriousness before Kagome turned back to him.

"Thank you for being so understanding," he said to her. Kagome gifted him with a warm smile, then turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Sesshoumaru waited until he heard the front door close, then wiped his face as a wide grin spread across his face. "Well, that was easy," he said as he walked back to the closet. He then looked down at his watch. "5...4...3...2..."

Slam!

"What in the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Ah," Sesshoumaru sighed as Inuyasha stormed into the room. "I was wondering when you'd come in."

"You still haven't answered my question Sesshoumaru! What in the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Packing, what does it look like?" Sesshoumaru replied as he walked past with another pair of pants. Inuyasha grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, ignoring Sesshoumaru's warning growl as he gave on of his own.

"Why did you separate them?" Inuyasha demanded. "You know just as well as I do that you can do business from any branch. Why'd you tell Kagome that bald-faced lie about trusting her and needing to go home?"

"Why do you care Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked him. "After all, you have your own wench to deal with."

"Katrina is not-Oh." Inuyasha stepped back and leaned against the glass balcony doors. "I get it. I see what you're doing. And here I was, thinking all this time that perhaps you might be in love with the girl. You only want her, you don't love her. Or at least that's what you're telling yourself, right?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "Love is a useless emotion. Look what it did to you."

Inuyasha bristled, but calmed just as quickly, deciding to ignore the verbal barb for the moment. "I don't believe you. I think you care for Kagome more than you realize."

"And I think you're a useless romantic."

Inuyasha grumbled something along the lines of stubborn taiyoukai and their bloody pride, then returned back to the conversation. "Whatever, but at least hear me out."

Sesshoumaru mentally sighed, then sat down on the easy chair and motioned for Inuyasha to continue.

Inuyasha shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Look Sesshoumaru, I've been with you since Mother died, and I've watched you grow into yourself. You're lonely and you know it."

"Thank you Dr. Phil," Sesshoumaru grumbled as he stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me-"  
  
"But with Kagome, you seem to be happy, to have fun. There's a certain way you look at her, the way you talk to her, the stuff that you allow her to do, that you don't do with anyone else." Inuyasha glared at Sesshoumaru suddenly, using a cold stare he'd seen from the taiyoukai himself. "Somewhere, subconsciously, you love her, but the way you're going about getting her is totally wrong."

"As if you would know," Sesshoumaru replied, deciding that packing while Inuyasha rambled would kill two birds with one stone.

"I do know," Inuyasha retorted, slightly miffed that Sesshoumaru would try to ignore him when he was only trying to help. He suddenly threw up his hands and opened the balcony door. "I give up," he whispered to the night air. "But hear this Sesshoumaru: If you keep it up, she's gonna see right through it. She's gonna find you out and leave you forever. And when she does, you'll realize just how much you care for her, but it'll be too late. Don't do that Sesshoumaru. You deserve a chance at happiness." Lightening flashed across the sky, lighting up Inuyasha's form as his eyes glittered a pale amber.

"But if you keep going, you'll regret it and so will she."

In another flash he was gone, leaving Sesshoumaru with a weird feeling of foreboding. He quickly shook it off before resuming his mental celebrations as he packed.

__

/10:35 AM, Cape Canaveral, Inside the Space Station/

"Now Kagome," Sesshoumaru said as they stopped before one of the conference room doors. "I want you to stay here. It won't take me long."

"I don't think so Mr. Takamada," Kagome replied. "I'm supposed to be with you at all times, remember?"

"True, but this is a meeting for funding and research only. If you come in, it will seem suspicious." Kagome still looked a tad doubtful, so Sesshoumaru pointed to a glass window. "You see this? You can see me through here at all times. If anything goes wrong or you get that…what is it again?"

"Spider-sense," Kagome whispered, slightly blushing at the nonsense of it all. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Quite right. If you sense anything wrong, come in with your guns blazing, alright?"

Kagome giggled at the John Wayne-like statement, but nodded in agreement. "Alright, but my guns are still on the plane."

"Well, whatever you have. This meeting shouldn't take too long." Sesshoumaru turned and walked inside the conference room, leaving Kagome in the vast hallway outside.

Kagome sighed as she sat down, fingering the pink solitaire that still resided around her throat. 'I thought he said he would get this back,' she mused as she held it before her. She hadn't paid any real attention to it until now, and was silently berating herself for that as she stared at the pretty pink gemstone. It was a dark, almost lilac with tiny light pink and dark purple flecks throughout. 'It is rather pretty. Get a grip Kagome! You're supposed to be watching him,' Kagome scolded herself. 'I don't like this 'waiting outside' thing though.'

Kagome stared through the glass attentively, watching as two army officers walked into the room, each sitting on opposites sides of the long conference table. Others walked into the room as well as Sesshoumaru took his place at the head of the table. 'Now why doesn't that surprise me.' Kagome sighed again. 'There has to be a better way to do this.' She smiled suddenly as an idea came to her. 'Oh yeah! I could do that, couldn't I? I wonder if I still can…' She closed her eyes and concentrated, her features set and grim as the whites of her eyes turned a faint pink.

__

/11:30 P.M./

Sesshoumaru stared around the room as the others came inside, watching as the two colonels sat on either side of him. One even dared to talk to him as others took their places at the table, some envious of his spot at the head of the gathering.

"Hello, are you Sesshoumaru Takamada?" she asked, her hand outstretched. Sesshoumaru gazed at it, then ignored it as he stared at her.

"Perhaps. And who are you?"

She smiled, taking back her hand as she tapped the tabletop. "I'm Col. Megan Starcatcher, and this is my assistant, Lt. Sandra Martinez of the United States army."

Sesshoumaru finally shook her hand then. "Then I am he."

"Wow. It's great to meet you!" she said as her assistant nodded in agreement. "I hear you provided a great deal of the funding of this project. On behalf of the armed forces, I thank you for such a sacrifice."

"Sure," Sesshoumaru said absentmindedly. As Col. Starcatcher continued, he suddenly felt a small push on his mental barriers. He decided to seek out the 'intruder' before destroying them entirely.

'Who is there?' he mentally demanded. Kagome's laughter came through moments later, sounding relieved and out of breath.

'I'm so glad I reached you!' she gasped, panting between a word or two. 'I know I delved into at least two people before you.'

'What are you doing?' Sesshoumaru asked her as the last of the seats were filled.

'I just came up with this. Don't worry, I remember you saying that this was a company thing, so I'm only going to leave enough of my subconscious to be able to monitor your body. Any drastic change in heart rhythm, breathing or brain patterns and I'm coming in there.'

'But you won't hear any of the meeting?'

'Nope.'

Sesshoumaru sighed. 'Good. What if I need to speak with you?'

'Then just whistle.' Her voice changed to a giggly version of Marilyn Monroe's. 'You can whistle, can't you big boy. Just press your lips together and blow.' Then she burst out laughing before finally fading away. Sesshoumaru shook his head at her as the last person came into the room.

He was short, with dark, curly hair on the sides and back of his head. Sesshoumaru restrained from wrinkling his nose at the man. He reeked of nervousness and gin. His gait was tense and his white lab coat was buttoned haphazardly, with a few buttons in the wrong holes.

He hefted a large briefcase onto the podium as he waited for the others at the table to quiet down. He cleared his throat when he finally had their attention, motioning for someone to turn off the lights. He turned on the projector beside him and turned to the conference table.

"Thank you all for coming," he stammered, rubbing his bald spot with the back of his hand. "I'm Dr. Robert Kelson, and I'm the technician in charge of the Tetsusaiga project."

Kelson placed a clear sheet onto the projector, then picked up a pen and pointed to the white projector screen. "A lot of you here are wondering: Just what is the Tetsusaiga? Well my friends, it's the newest piece of intelligence since the invention of the satellite itself." He pointed to the picture on-screen of a satellite orbiting Earth. "Disguised as a common weather satellite, the Tetsusaiga is actually a military spy cam, fitted with infared lasers capable of seeing at least 100 meters below the Earth's surface. This is especially useful for terrorist cells that use the caves and tunnels of the desert to hide in."

He switched pictures to a close-up of the satellite, pointing to the back of it. "The Tetsusaiga is designed to behave as a normal satellite would, except for one function: It can be re-positioned by remote using a set of discretely hidden rockets on the back of the satellite." He motioned for the lights to be turned on as he turned the projector off. He returned to the podium and pulled a small model of the satellite out of his briefcase.

"This is but a model of the real thing," he said as he passed it to the nearest officer. "But it does give you an idea of what it looks like. The Tetsusaiga is made of at least 7 tons of titanium alloy, and is 10 meters long, and 8 meters wide. It will do the job of a weather satellite as well, broadcasting weather reports from around the world."

Sesshoumaru passed the model to the lt. beside him as Kelson opened a door on the far side of the room. "If you would all follow me please."

Sesshoumaru stood first, moving to walk beside Kelson as the others instinctively stepped out of his way. Kelson led them out of the room and down another hallway as he continued the meeting. "As some of us are aware, the Tetsusaiga was supposed to be released into orbit three months ago during the spaceship Mercury launch, but was sabotaged before launch. We have corrected the damage, and the Tetsusaiga will be above our heads in two weeks time."

He opened another door, this one made of metal, and stepped to the side as Sesshoumaru and the others walked onto the platform. Below them sat the real thing, the original Tetsusaiga satellite, with technicians scurrying about ensuring this and counterbalancing that as the meeting participants looked on.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Tetsusaiga," Kelson said wistfully, his eyes slightly glazed over as everyone awed at the completed satellite. They stood for a moment, silent witnesses to the hustle and bustle below before Kelson spoke again. "That's it for this meeting. Thank you all for coming. Mr. Takamada, if you'd come with me please." He motioned for the navy general to accompany them as well as the others walked back to the conference room.

"Well," the general asked. "What about the photon cannon?"

"The photon cannon is there as well, along with something I came up with last week." Kelson grinned suddenly, obviously proud of himself as he pulled out another model. This one was of the Tetsusaiga, with a photon laser cannon hidden on the inside.

"I equipped it with an automatic guidance system. Not only can it fire upon any target on Earth with incredible accuracy, it can now focus better on individual targets underground."

The general patted Kelson's back as Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I agreed to finance the satellite, and the weapon, but not the targeting system. It's not necessary."

"But of course it is!" the general argued. "How can we guide the laser without the targeting system-"

"If I'm not mistaken, the laser was built with a basic targeting system." He glared at Kelson, watching the little man squirm under his gaze. "Well Dr. Kelson? Am I?"

The general glared at Sesshoumaru, then at Kelson as he nodded. "Yes, it was equipped with a basic system but-"

"Why would you want two targeting systems?" the general asked. "Shouldn't the first one be enough?"

"It's only for back-up, I assure you. But I'm sure we won't need it, since Mr. Takamada has the key," Kelson replied quickly. Sesshoumaru's glare intensified until the man visibly shook.

"It does not sound like 'back-up' to me," he told Kelson, releasing a small amount of his youkai. He felt it wrap around Kelson, snaking it's way up the man's leg like a miasma. "I would suggest you remove it."

"O-of course!" Kelson stammered, completely unnerved by what he would call later 'the willies'. "As you say, Mr. Takamada!"

"Good." Sesshoumaru sniffed, quickly regretting it as soon as the stench of the humans around assaulted his nose. He resisted the urge to gag this time before excusing himself from the meeting. The general excused himself as well, following Sesshoumaru down the hallway to the conference room.

Kelson waited until the two men disappeared from view, then pressed his back against the wall. He shivered, quaked nearly as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Man," he sighed. "I really hate that guy."

"From what I understand, you're not the only one."

Kelson whirled around, then sighed in relief at the figure behind him. "Oh. It's only you. What are you doing here?"

The figure waved the question aside, holding her mirror in the palm of her hand. "That's not important right now." She brushed aside a pure white strand of hair, then pointed the mirror directly at Kelson. He shuddered for a moment, then relaxed, sliding to a sitting position on the floor.

"What is important is for you to keep that targeting system online."

"But Mr. Takamada-"

"Lie to him if you have to, but keep it on. Our master commands it." She walked past him, ignoring him entirely as she disappeared in mid air.

Kagome watched as the meeting attendants left one by one, until only Sesshoumaru and a navy general remained. A army colonel sat beside her, her hand outstretched and a smile on her face.

"Hi! Are you Mr. Takamada's assistant?"

Kagome smiled back and shook her hand. "Yeah, I am. I'm Kagome."

"Col. Starcatcher. I just have to ask you: Where did you get that necklace?"

Kagome stopped playing with the solitaire long enough for Col. Starcatcher to take a closer look. "It's Mr. Takadama's."

"Really? Looks a tad too girly for him, but it is pretty. Is it a topaz?"

Kagome looked at it again, then shook her head. "I don't think so. I had a ring like this when I was a kid, and I don't remember it being so perfect."

Col. Starcatcher palmed the solitaire momentarily, weighing the little stone in her hands. "You know, I took geology in school. I bet I could tell you what it is."

"Wow. I thought about taking that. Sure," Kagome replied as she moved to take the necklace off. A heavy hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"I don't believe we have time for that Kagome," Sesshoumaru told her as he nodded to Col. Starcatcher. "Thank you for the offer."

"Sure, not a problem," she said as she stood up. "But you really should get that appraised. It looks like a pink topaz, but it's too heavy, like a diamond or something."

"Thank you again," Sesshoumaru called as she walked away. He retrieved his suitcase from the other side of Kagome and followed with Kagome beside him.

"Can I ask you a question?" Kagome said as they entered the limo. Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod for her to continue.

"Why didn't you take this back? You said you would after the ball."  
  
Sesshoumaru thought over it a moment, then shrugged. "I fully intended to, but I don't believe I will now. It doesn't look like anything myself or Rin would wear. You may keep it."

"Ohhh no. I don't think that's a good idea," Kagome said as she moved to take the necklace off again.

Sesshoumaru leaned his head against the back of the seat and closed his eyes, readying himself for another battle of wills. "And why not?"

'Because I can't. It's yours."

"And now it is yours. Take it." He peered at her out of one eye, the pale brown glittering in the sunlight. "I insist. It is the least I can do."

Kagome sighed, but relented. "Alright. But only if I get to give you something."

Sesshoumaru sat a moment, slightly stunned at how quickly she accepted the piece of jewelry. He shrugged after a while, then closed his eyes again. "Alright. As you wish."

"Where to next?" Kagome asked.

"Boston."  
  
"I know that! Are you going home?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No. I'm going to work."

Kagome started to laugh. "You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm not."

"But we've been up since 3:00 this morning!"

"And there is still enough time for me to get some work done."

"Aw man…" Kagome groaned, slumping in her seat. "This is gonna be a long day!"


	19. Home Sweet Home

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Nineteen: Home Sweet Home

__

/1:00 PM, Boston Mass. Friday Afternoon/

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome's head loll for the fourth time, secretly wondering if she would fall from the seat completely this time.

They arrived in Boston but 20 minutes ago, and were on their way to his office. Kagome, the poor girl, managed to stay bright-eyed through the plane ride, but sometime between getting in the limo and now she began to wear out.

Sesshoumaru debated going home to give her a chance to rest, but concluded that if she wanted to she would have asked. She would just have to endure until 6.

Sesshoumaru had a tour planned for her as well, even though he would more likely than not have to take the same tour. His home had recently been redecorated, and he was almost sure the monthly bill said something about a new wing. Sesshoumaru shrugged, then caught Kagome as she fell completely out of her seat.

"Hehe…sorry about that," she whispered as Sesshoumaru moved her to his side. "I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought."

"Understandable." Sesshoumaru watched her as Kagome's eyelids slid closed, then as her breathing evened out before coming up with an idea to keep her awake for the rest of the trip.

"Kagome?"

"Hmm…"

"I have been practicing the levitation technique."

Kagome sat up, immediately interested as she stared up at him. "Really? How's it going?"

"Aright I suppose. I have no training in this sort of thing."

"Well let's see," Kagome urged, moving back to her seat across from him. Sesshoumaru looked around, finding nothing to levitate that wouldn't seem suspicious right at hand. He gazed at her then, eyeing the perfect French roll at the top of her head. The same tendril frequented the left side of her face. Wearing but a simple pair of tan slacks, black flats and a white button-up blouse, there really was nothing to manipulate.

'Wait a moment,' Sesshoumaru thought with a slight smile. 'There is something…'

Kagome watched him eagerly, wondering how well Sesshoumaru received her lesson when she heard something on her shirt pop. She looked down, watching as one of her buttons came a loose. She gaped at it, then at Sesshoumaru as another came undone.

"Are you doing this?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged, another button coming undone as he watched. "I hope so, but if not then I appreciate you humoring me."

Kagome scowled, quickly buttoning up her shirt as she glared at him. "You're a fast learner Mr. Takamada."

"Thank you."

"Mr. Takamada?" the driver called. "We're here."

"Good," Sesshoumaru reached on the back seat for his briefcase and stepped out when the car stopped. He offered his hand to Kagome, patiently waiting for her to gather her things before stepping out as well.

"Wow," she whispered, her head tilted back as she stared at the office building in wonder. Many small office buildings sat around one tall one in a semi-circle, each connecting itself to it by means of covered walkways. The entire structure was made of bottle green glass.

Kagome followed Sesshoumaru inside, barely aware of her hand in his as she stared at her surroundings. Everything seemed to be in some shade of green or another, the walls painted a creamy white. They walked past the lobby secretary's desk for the elevator.

"What do you think?" Sesshoumaru asked after they boarded and pushed the button for the top floor.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, staring out the window to the street below.

Sesshoumaru leaned against the wall, watching her as she marveled things he normally took for granted. "It is, isn't it?" Kagome turned to him, a light blush staining her cheeks from his innuendo. "Do you know where we are Kagome?"

Kagome nodded. "We're at the home office."

"And what makes you think that?"

Kagome grinned knowingly. "Because of the name of this branch."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "What's the name of it?"

"The Emerald City."

Sesshoumaru nodded, but feigned confusion. "That's true, but what makes you think this is the main branch?"

Kagome turned back to the window, watching once again as the elevator made it's slow assent to the top floor. "Dorothy and her friends were told that if they needed help, to go see the Great Wizard, the wisest man in the land. He resided at the highest tower inside the Emerald City. Your offices are always at the top of your branches. In a way, you're the Great Wizard."

Sesshoumaru smirked but a moment, but that brief time was enough to affirm her suspicions. The elevator stopped and he and Kagome stepped out. This floor resembled the others in the other branches, with a secretary at the beginning of the hallway and Sesshoumaru's office at the end.

"Hello CiCi," Sesshoumaru called to the woman behind the young woman behind the massive desk. "Any new messages?"

"No sir Mr. Takamada."

"CiCi, this is Kagome. If she needs anything, I'm sure you'll be the first to help her."

The young woman nodded. "Of course. Hi Kagome."  
  
"Hi." Kagome waved as Sesshoumaru lead her to his office. He unlocked the doors and entered, motioning for Kagome to follow. Kagome again stood still at the simple elegance of his offices. Each seemed the same, with the same black and white themes, but in this office white seemed to be winning.

The chairs, the carpet, everything was white except for Sesshoumaru's immediate area. The desk was large, made once again of mahogany, with the perfect view of the city behind it. Kagome stepped to the window as Sesshoumaru motioned toward a nearby door.

"There is the break room. On the other side is the restroom." He sat down, turned on his computer and began typing. Kagome sighed, her forehead resting against the window.

"Kagome?"

"Yes Mr. Takamada?"

"A cup of coffee if you please."

Kagome stared at him from over her shoulder, wondering if the second head he just grew could sing as well as dance. "What? I thought you didn't drink coffee."

"It's not for me. It's for you."

Kagome growled lightly, an ugly habit she picked up from Sesshoumaru as she walked to the break room.

__

/7:00 PM, Outside Boston city limits/

Kagome glanced out the window at the passing scenery. Sesshoumaru sat across from her, steadily typing on his laptop, the steady clicking permeating the air. 'Like usual,' Kagome mused, stealing a glance at her companion. His eyes were focused on the screen before him, seemingly unaware of anyone watching him. Kagome turned back to the window, watching the endless rolls of grassy hills,

'I never knew there was so much…country outside of Boston. I wonder if he lives out here somewhere.' Kagome huffed. 'Of course he does. He's a loner. Aside from Rin and Inuyasha, no one is really close to him.' Kagome sighed wistfully. 'It must be rather lonely.'

"Is something troubling you?"  
  
Kagome blinked, then turned toward Sesshoumaru and smiled. "Oh, nothing. Sorry about that."

Sesshoumaru closed the laptop, saving the stock report for another day as he turned his attentions to his favorite fascination. "I don't believe you."

"I'm just wondering what you're home looks like." 'Well, that's not exactly a lie,' Kagome told herself as Sesshoumaru looked out the window.

"I don't know."

"Huh?" 'Did he just say he didn't know?' "Why wouldn't you know?"  
  
"It was recently redecorated. I would be surprised if the front door was in the same place."

"Oh." 'OK,' Kagome thought as she turned back to the window. 'There went small talk.' The driver turned the car onto a lone dirt road with tall willow trees canopying both sides. Kagome gazed out through the sunroof, watching as the sunlight peered and danced between the branches.

They finally pulled to a stop at a black wrought-iron gate. Sesshoumaru reached inside an armrest and pressed a button. The gates parted soundlessly, much to Kagome's surprise. The driver continued down the road, this time paved in gray stones. The willows once again adorned the roadside, parting ways at the circle at the head of the pathway.

A fountain stood in the middle of the driveway, encircled with white flowers. The fountain was rather simple, as if made of the same gray stones as the driveway. Water flowed from the edge of the fountain from inside a carafe in the hands of a little girl statue. She smiled pleasantly at the water, seeming to watch it in approval. The driver circled the fountain once before parking.

Sesshoumaru stepped out, once again followed by Kagome before the driver pulled away. Kagome stared in open mouthed awe as Sesshoumaru climbed the creamy marble steps to the front door. The mansion, for there really was nothing else to call it, was painted the same creamy vanilla that frequented the marble at her feet.

Sesshoumaru handed her his briefcase, motioning for her to hold it up as he dug around inside for his keys. Kagome glanced in amazement at the roman columns around her, then at the double doors. Made of simple pine, the most breathtaking thing about them were the stain glass windowpanes. They were as large as the doors themselves, with the wood only serving as a border.

The door on the left was of a large white dog bounding across a dark sky, looking as if it would escape from it's glass prison and devour her whole. On the right stood what she could only describe as a miko like herself, dressed in red hakamas and a white haori. The bow she held was as tall as she, with a single glowing arrow taunt in the string. Lightening lit up the scenery behind her, and for an instant she thought she saw a small inu hanyou behind her.

"It's…amazing."

Sesshoumaru blinked, his keys temporarily forgotten as he stared at her. Kagome stared to the side at the doors, and he too turned his attentions to the entryway. He found himself agreeing with Kagome, the scene the two windowpanes bringing back intense memories for him. This one scene in particular he relayed to the glassmaker himself, sparing no detail as he described what he wanted. To be quite honest, Sesshoumaru designed all the stained glass in the home, the only thing he didn't leave to the decorator.

"Here they are!" Sesshoumaru growled as he grabbed his keys. He closed his briefcase before turning to open the doors. He and Kagome walked inside, and once again Kagome was rendered speechless. Before her stood a great hall, with a pair of stairs facing away from each other. A deep purple runner cascaded down the steps to the front door, coming to a stop before Kagome's feet. Gold plated railings adorned the steps up to what looked like a landing and another stained glass window. Between the steps was a black Grand piano.

Sesshoumaru pressed a button on the wall unnoticed, then waited patiently. He didn't wait long, as two men walked into the room and bowed before him.

"Welcome home…"

"…Sesshoumaru-sama," they said. They then turned to Kagome, giving her a bow as well. Kagome bowed back, unused to this after being away from Japan for so long. She then turned her gaze to them as Sesshoumaru questioned them on the state of his home.

They were twins, that she could easily see, with jet black hair cut to above eye level. A single white lock draped over opposite sides of their faces, but other than that they looked the same. They were even dressed alike, with white shirts and khaki pants.

"This is Marshal Kagome Higurashi," Sesshoumaru informed them, effectively snapping Kagome out of her thoughts. "She is to stay here for the duration."

They turned to her and smiled, bowing once again. "Hello Lady Kagome," the one on the left said.

"Hello." Kagome replied. "Who are you, if I may ask?"

"I'm Ah…" said the one on the left.

"…and I'm Un," said the one on the right. As Kagome wondered how she would tell them apart, her answer came in their eyes. Each had a single brown eye and a single green eye. Where Ah's right eye was green and his left eye was brown, Un's eyes were opposite. Standing shoulder to shoulder as they did now gave Kagome an eerie impression, like staring at a creature with two heads.

"Ah will give you a tour of the house," Sesshoumaru told her. "I have a few things to discuss with Un."

"Alright," Kagome said as Ah lead her away. "But what if I need to speak to you?"

"Then Ah knows how to find me."

Kagome nodded as Ah lead her into a nearby hallway, leaving Un and Sesshoumaru to themselves. Sesshoumaru quickly turned and walked up the stairs, Un right behind him as he asked rapid fire questions about house matters. Sesshoumaru turned on the landing, ascending a second flight of steps before turning left and walking down a vast hallway. He stopped at the door at the end of it, opening it quickly.

Sesshoumaru stood for a moment, taking the time to absorb what had been done to his chambers in his absence. There was no carpet in his room, only polished wooden floor with black themed oriental rugs on the floor. There was a fireplace in the wall on the far left, with his bed in the middle of the room. Slate gray and black sheets were draped over his bed, with matching curtains leading to his balcony doors. He glanced around once more, this time with relief as he spied his old curio cabinet before crossing the room and flinging open the balcony doors. Un leaned against the doorframe attentively as Sesshoumaru surveyed his lands.

"Which of the guest rooms would you like the lady to sleep in, my lord?" Un asked, breaking the silence.

"In the room next to mine." Un contained a gasp, but his surprise was evident in his voice. "But my lord, isn't that room reserved for your mate?"

"That is where I want her Un. No questions." Sesshoumaru lightly grasped the railing, glancing down at the gardens below him. "Do not call me lord in her presence."

"Alright my lord," Un replied.

"Inform Ah of this change immediately." Sesshoumaru turned to Un then, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he asked "And the lady's luggage?"

"Taken care of, as you requested."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head. "Good." Un answered a knock on the bedroom door, opening it and helping one of the servants bring Sesshoumaru's bags inside. Sesshoumaru walked past them to the bathroom, wanting to see it as well. The bathroom was the way he left it, with the corner shower on the right side of the room, the whirlpool tub on the left side and everything else to his likings. He nodded once again as Un excused the servant.

"You may go now. Assist Ah in Kagome's tour."

"Yes my lord," Un replied before leaving. Sesshoumaru hefted one of his suitcases to his bed, then started to unpack.

Kagome followed Ah quietly as he lead her from the front room to a hallway on her left.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Lady Kagome," Ah said. Kagome blushed. "What do you mean by 'finally'?"

"We have heard a lot about you, from Lady Rin and-" here he stopped, seemingly to think about something before nodding. "and Takamada-sama. They both hold you in high regard."

Kagome stood back as Ah opened a door at the beginning of the hallway. "I'm surprised. Rin hasn't had time to know me."

"But Lady Rin is a good judge of character." Ah held the door open as Kagome stepped through, then lead her down a flight of stairs. "This is the first room on your tour. The house itself isn't as big as you think it is, and it's not hard to navigate once you get your bearings. " He opened another door at the base of the steps. "This is the game room."

Kagome stepped inside, her eyes wide as she surveyed her surroundings. 'This place is huge!' she thought as she stood beside the door. From where she stood she could see everything in the room, including the arcade games at the back wall, the bar on her right and the pool table on her left. The entire room was decorated in tans and whites, with a shaggy carpet and soft walls.

"The arcade games are some of Lady Rin's favorites," Ah said as Kagome ventured fort. She went to the games first, nodding in approval at some of the names. 'Tekken, Mortal Kombats I through III, Knockout Kings I, not bad. Not bad at all.' She moved away from them to the pool table, then closer to the door as Ah stood beside the bar.

"This room was Hitame-sama's favorite when he resided here," Ah explained as Kagome's hand ran along one of the many pool cubes mounted on the wall. "His game was pool. He's a regular shark."

"Wow, wish I'd known," Kagome muttered. "Miroku would have given him a run for his money."

"When Lady Rin is here this is where she comes to relax as well."

Kagome nodded as she noticed a pair of recliners in a corner of the room. She approached them, taking note that they faced each other as she finally saw what was between them.

"Ooooooo!" she gasped as she sank into one of the chairs. Ah sat down in the other, smiling as Kagome gazed at the chess set.

"This is Takamada-sama's favorite."

Kagome nodded, taking in the beauty of the board game. The playing field itself was made of black and white checkerboard marble, with glass pieces. The board pieces resembled cats and dogs, with cats on one side and dogs on the right.

The cats' side had regular house cats for pawns, panthers for bishops, mountain lions for knights, and lions for rooks. The king and queen appeared human, but had fluffy round ears on top of their heads and thin tails wrapped around their waists. The king was dressed in a black gi with a silver sash around his waist. The queen was dressed in a black kimono with silver Stars of David imprinted on it.

The dogs were the same way, with common dogs as pawns, wolves as knights, dingos as bishops, and wolverines as rooks. The king and queen had no ears on top of their heads like the cats, but their fluffy tails wrapped around their shoulders like a shawl. The king was dressed in a white gi with a golden sash, and the queen wore a white kimono with golden suns imprinted on it.

Kagome gaped in amazement as she picked up the dog's queen, marveling at the craftsmanship of the tiny piece. "It's beautiful. I didn't know Takamada knew so much about youkai."

"Youkai?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah. I've taught him a little about them since working for him, since there are some chasing him, but this is amazing."

Kagome set the figurine down as Ah stood up. He walked to the back of the room, motioning to another door on the opposite end.

"That door leads to the outside," he told her as he opened one of the inner doors. He lead Kagome up another flight of stairs, then opened the door and lead her into another room. "This is the kitchen," he said with a sweep of his hand. "Dinner is served at 7:00 6 days a week. The chef is off on Saturdays, but myself or Un would be more than happy to prepare anything you desire."

"That's not necessary," Kagome told him. "I'm sure I won't get lost in here."

"I'm sure of that as well."

Kagome touched the granite counter covering the island in the middle of the room, finding the stone cool to the touch. The stove was on the other side in front of her, with the refrigerator beside her on a far wall.

"I hear you can cook," Ah said, breaking the silence. Kagome blushed. "Just a little."

"That's not what I heard," Un said as he walked in. "I hear you've missed you're true calling." He smiled at Kagome's blush. "Alright you two, come on," he jeered good naturedly as he lead the way down the hall. Un tapped a door as they walked past it, bringing it to Kagome's attention. "This is a half bath. There is another one on this floor as well."

They continued to walk until they came to another doorway. "This is the dining room."

Kagome poked her head in, glancing at the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling above an enormous table in the center of the room. Kagome only counted twenty of the many chairs before Ah and Un lead her away.

"That room is used for banquets and the like. Takamada-sama normally eats in the kitchen," Ah said as they stopped at another door. "This is the ballroom," Un announced as they stepped inside the room.

Kagome looked around her, wondering how in the world a room so big could fit inside the house. The ceiling dripped with crystal chandeliers, the sparkling reflecting on the floor at her feet. Her heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she walked, the noise echoing on the walls around her. A platform for musicians stood in the back corner of the room, beside a pair of French doors. The windows reached from the floor to the ceiling with midnight purple curtains held back with golden tassels. The only room not curtained was in the very center of the 9.

"This window," Ah told her as Un started for the hallway, "Is unfinished. Takamada-sama hasn't decided on what to put there."

"He draws the pictures for the stained glass and gives it to the glass company, " Un said as they resumed down the hallway. "They deliver and install the window two weeks later."

Kagome nodded as they turned left, immediately stopping at one of the three doors on the hallway. "This is Takamada-sama's office." Ah said as he tapped on the door. "If you can't find him anywhere else, you can find him here."

Uh and Ah lead the way into the second room, leaving Kagome in the doorway as they each stepped to opposite corners on the other side of the wall.

"This is the living room," Ah said. Kagome nodded as she looked around. Across the room from her was a large wall fireplace with a limestone mantel. A window was on either side of it, with ivory curtains and golden tassels. A sofa faced the right side wall. In front of it was a small shelf with two tall shelves beside it.

"Here is the TV," Un said as he pushed a button on the side of the wall. A section opened up to reveal a wide screen TV above the short shelf.

"This cabinet" Ah said, motioning to the tall cabinet on the TV's left. "Has video games."

"This cabinet," Uh replied next, motioning to the tall shelf on the right. "Has DVDs."

"Here are the VCR, DVD player and game systems." Ah concluded. He crossed the room for a closet on the left wall behind the couch. "Here are extra blankets, just in case you need one."

Ah and Un left the room, motioning once again for Kagome to follow them as they opened the last door on the hallway.

"Here is the main study."

Kagome peered inside, glancing at the typical office equipment before following her guides around the corner once again. Ah stopped before the first door, standing in front of it as Un explained what it was.

"This is the servants' quarters."

Kagome gasped. "You mean you two and everyone else here stays in _there_? That can't be enough room."

Un laughed softly, shaking his head. "No, you misunderstood. This is the way to the servants' quarters."

"I don't understand."

Uh nodded expectantly. "I thought you wouldn't. It is rather confusing. You see, there are 4 floors to this house, not including the game room. The first level is this one, the second level is bedrooms for the family, the third floor is the servants' quarters, and the fourth is the attic. There are pathways in the walls that lead to almost every room in the house."

"Almost?"

Uh nodded. "Yes. The master suites are the only ones without the corridors."

Ah nodded and walked down the hallway, leaving Kagome and Un to catch up. He stopped before another door, opening it as he said, "Here, Lady Kagome, is where I believe you'll be the most interested."

Kagome stepped inside, awed by the expansive dojo before her. Shaped like a hexagon, the walls on the left and right sides were mirrored. The wall across from her held nothing but another door, but the wall behind her had three swords and a bow.

Two swords crossed over each other, with a third sword implanted between them in a makeshift shield. The bow hung from a nail beside them. Kagome picked it up, testing the string as she examined the bow itself.

'Wow,' she thought as she held it out in front of her. 'It's old, really old, but still in good condition. I wonder where Takamada got it from.'

"It seems like Hitame-san's mother's bow is a tad too large for you."

Kagome smiled at them, then at the bow itself. It was kind of large, only an inch shorter than she was. "I think I can manage it," Kagome told Ah and Un as she tested the string again.

"Of course you can," Ah assured her as he walked the padded floor to the other door. "If you'll come this way."

Kagome did so, taking the bow with her. When Un shot her a questioning look, she shrugged. "I don't know why I have it. I just feel like it likes me, you know?"

Un nodded sagely as they both left the room to a target field outside. There were 12 targets, all fenced in from the rest of the grounds.

"I take it Takamada doesn't practice archery," Kagome guessed as she stepped in front of one of the targets.

"He does, but not often. What makes you think that he doesn't?"

"This bow is old, but I just don't think he used it. I don't catch his aura on it."

"He doesn't. Um, Lady Kagome," Ah called out as Kagome positioned herself and the bow for a shot. "Don't you need arrows for that?"

Kagome shook her head, going through the motions of reaching behind her for an arrow, nocking it and releasing it from the bow. All was silent for a moment, then a large poof as the target exploded, sawdust flying everywhere as Kagome grinned. She turned to Ah and Un, stifling a giggle at their startled expressions.

"Hey guys, if you keep that up, a fly is going to find it's way to your stomachs."

They closed their mouths, gawking at Kagome as she turned toward another target.

"How did you do that?" Ah asked. Kagome smiled, reaching behind her again. This time she pulled an arrow from thin air, nocked it and released it, the arrow flying through the air in a comet-like streak. Another poof and another target was decimated. Ah and Un stood completely still, the answer to Ah's question finally answered as Kagome smiled at them.

"I'm a miko. We can do that kind of thing." She pointed toward the sky, reaching for another invisible arrow before glancing at Ah and Un. "Watch this." She released it, the arrow flying unseen into the sky. A minute later it exploded, raining down starlight drops of pink energy. Ah and Un froze, expecting any moment to become nothing but ash as the twinkling bits of energy settled on their forms.

The pink ki settled on them, covering them in sparkling, laughing bits of delightful energy. They opened their eyes at the sensation, not expecting purification to feel so good. They glanced each other over, then deciding that they wouldn't explode in a pile of ryuu guts as they smiled. They turned to Kagome, who was giggling at them as the energy caught in her hair.

"It doesn't hurt you guys," she told them. "That was my healing energy. It's supposed to make you feel better, not scare you. Besides, you two don't have a thing to worry about. You're not youkai."

Ah and Un just stared for a moment before deciding to shrug it off and continue the tour. "That I'm sure is most helpful," Ah said as Un lead them out of the target field.

"It is," Kagome told them. "There's been at least a few dozen times where I've used that on Takamada. He seems to think it's funny for some reason."

Ah nodded, a stunned expression on his face as Un stopped before a small cottage. "This is the wine cellar."

They moved on without looking in to another building with a swimming pool much like the one in Jacksonville, without the tube that led to another pool. The inside looked as if to serve as a greenhouse as well, with many exotic plants growing in window boxes along the walls. After locating the garage and the garden, the little group found themselves back inside the main entrance.

"Well Lady Kagome, any questions?"

"What's the security around here?" Kagome started. Ah pointed to a white panel on the wall. "This is linked to the front gates and sensors scattered over the grounds. The little button on the face of it is a pager for us. Just push it anytime and one of us will be here on the double."  
  
"Alright. Are there any house rules?"

"Just a few," Un replied. "One: Never enter the servants' quarters without permission. Two: Food is allowed everywhere but the bedrooms and the studies. Three: If you use the dojo, be sure to clean up after yourself. The servants aren't allowed in there."

"But you two are?"

Un nodded, then turned to open the door for the limo driver. He stumbled inside, carrying a few of Sesshoumaru's suitcases. "Set them here," Un instructed as Ah walked outside. He came back moments later, holding Kagome's attaché and red train case. The driver appeared next with a matching suitcase and left. After a few more trips, and a few more loads of Sesshoumaru's luggage, the driver leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Whew. That's the last of them."

Kagome glanced around, then shook her head. "That can't be right. I only have three of my things."

The driver shrugged. "That's all there was at the loading dock."

Kagome sat down on top of her suitcase, shaking her head fiercely as her voice started to rise. "There were at least 6 other bags with this! You mean to tell me that you didn't _see _them?!!!"

The driver shook his head, watching as a purple glow surrounded the marshal. "Y-yes, I mean no! I didn't see them! I picked up what I did!" He shuddered under the tenseness of it all as Un and Ah attempted to calm Kagome down.

"I'm sure they're still at the airport!" Ah told her, watching as the purple became laced with white hot ki. "He didn't do it on purpose!" Un nodded eagerly, thinking to himself 'Perhaps Lord Sesshoumaru's idea wasn't the best one. I wonder if you die before the pain or after when you're purified?'

Kagome blinked, then took a deep breath. The energy swirled back inside her, replaced by a warm pink that washed over the driver the moment she touched him. He relaxed, his shortened breathed evening out as Kagome smiled at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to loose my temper. You didn't do it on purpose." She turned away, never seeing the relived look on his face nor in his eyes as she plunked down on the floor.

"What am I going to do about this?"

"About what?" Sesshoumaru asked as he came down the steps. He sensed Kagome's power surge in his room, and decided to come down and investigate. "What is the matter?"

"I just scared the daylights out of your driver for one," Kagome said as she looked up at him. He stood directly in front of her, glaring at the driver. "What did he do?"

"Nothing really. It's just that only two of my bags and my attaché came with us. The rest are lost."

"Oh."

Kagome nodded. "Oh is right. I have nothing to wear, and no weapons. What am I going to do?"

Sesshoumaru glanced down at her, curiosity sparkling behind his eyes as he asked "Weapons? I don't understand."

Kagome sighed. "The duffle bag had my .38, .45, and both the double and single barrel shotguns."

"Oh." Sesshoumaru turned away, mentally wondering how he missed that bag. "But what's inside these," he asked, pointing to the rest of her stuff.

Kagome sighed. "Oh, you know. The laptop, shades and stuff are inside the attaché, toiletries are inside the train case, and books are inside the one I'm sitting on."

"Books?" Sesshoumaru questioned, eyeing the rather large suitcase. "You need that many books?"

"Those are books Grandpa sent me on my miko abilities. They're about 4 years worth of missed studies. I'm glad they didn't get lost. Some of them are at least 430 years old. I'm still stuck though." Kagome shook her head, willing herself not to laugh at her bad luck. "I guess I'll just get Sango to Fed-X me some stuff."

"But what will you do tonight?"

Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. I don't suppose anyone has any old clothes I can wear?"

Un nodded as Ah ascended the steps. "I'm sure Lady Rin has something extra still here. If you'd come with me so I can show you you're room."

Kagome nodded, grabbing her things and following Ah up the stairs. She and Ah had a brief argument about him carrying her stuff, but it was soon settled when Ah agreed to let her carry two of the three bags, leaving him with the suitcase full of books.

Sesshoumaru watched them as they disappeared up the steps, smirking as she paused at the window at the landing. It was another stained glass window, this one of the white dog on the front doors by itself, baying at the moon above. He could sense her amazement before she ran to catch up with Ah.

"Well my lord," Un said, wiping his brow. "I thought the risk of being purified died about 200 years ago. That was scary."

"I'm sure it was," Sesshoumaru muttered, thinking of something entirely different. The driver glanced from him to Un, finally deciding to dismiss himself as Sesshoumaru tapped his chin.

"She's very powerful, my lord. Even more so than the miko that carried the Shikon no Tama."

Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "I would have nothing less." He smiled suddenly, an evil glint in his eye as he turned to Un. "What size do you think the lady wears?"

"Um, " Un scratched his forehead thoughtfully, the white tuff of hair flipping this way and that as he thought about the question. "Lady Rin wears a 4. She seems to be smaller."  
  
"I agree. About two sizes. Do you agree?"

Un nodded. "Of course. But what if other measurements?"

Sesshoumaru's smile widened, the look of the devil crossing his features. "That is where you come in."

Un mentally sighed, but nodded and proceeded to Kagome's room. It seemed to be in the cards for him to be purified today, he just knew it.

Kagome followed Ah to the last room on the left hallway, then watched as he opened the door beside it. "This is your room, Lady Kagome."

Kagome walked in, dropping her stuff in the chair by the door as she gaped at the room. Decorated in sapphire blues, ruby reds and buttery whites, the room seemed deemed for a queen instead. Blue-based oriental rugs were scattered on the floor, with an armoire on either of the left and right side walls. The bed itself was red with white sheets. A canopy hung overhead, leaving the bed with a mysterious and oriental feel.

Ah motioned to the left side of the room. "The door nearest us is your closet and the other door leads to Takamada-sama's chambers. The door on the right is the bathroom. If you would, when you take a shower leave your clothes in the floor so they may be washed."

Kagome nodded, sitting down on the bed as she gaped at the room around her. Ah smiled at her, instantly growing a fondness for her. 'I hope Lord Sesshoumaru's plan works. I think it would be so good to have her here.' "Is there anything you need Lady Kagome?"  
  
Kagome shook her head, then called to him as he turned to leave. "Ah!"

"Yes my lady?"

"Could you and Un not call me that?" she requested with a blush. "Do you mind? You won't get in trouble, will you?"

Ah shook his head, mentally relaying the new information and the conversation to Un. "Of course not. It is as you wish."

Kagome smiled, a genuine gesture that seemed to light up the room. "Thanks."

Ah nodded as he closed her door, feeling his brother's newfound sense of fondness for the woman before making his way to Sesshoumaru.

/1:00 _ pm, Sesshoumaru's Room/_

"I'm going to kill her if she doesn't stop that bloody pacing, mine or not."

Sesshoumaru sighed, glaring at the ceiling as the gentle padding of Kagome's feet once again passed the door that connected their rooms. He growled lightly, then sat up and decided to investigate.

He opened the door just as Kagome turned her back, giving him a moment to observe her. She tugged at her ponytail nervously, the sleeve of one of his best dress shirt's sliding down her arm. The white shirt seemed to glow in the dark room, the moonlight shining off it and Kagome's hair. Kagome seemed to be deep in thought, and muttering something, She turned around, giving a faint squeak as she nearly ran into Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru leaned against the doorframe, his head lulling to the side as he glared down at her.

"Why are you pacing?" he asked, watching as a faint blush brushed her cheek. Kagome sat down on the edge of the bed, patting the area beside her. Sesshoumaru sat down, waiting patiently for whatever was stressing her.

Kagome raised her left sleeve, revealing her sheath with her throwing daggers. "This, and the one strapped to my thigh-"

"There's one on your thigh?" Sesshoumaru asked, suddenly interested in getting a closer look at the daggers. Kagome nodded. "Yes, it's like a garter. Anyway, before you get any ideas, these are the only weapons I have. It's kinda unnerving."

"And that's why you can't sleep?"

Kagome nodded. "I'm not used to sleeping without something."

Sesshoumaru glanced out the window, seeming to consider something before grabbing her hand and leading Kagome out of her room.

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked as they descended the first flight of stairs. Sesshoumaru navigated easily through the dark house like a candle, the only parts of him visible to Kagome were his white pajama pants and his hair as they shone with the moonlight. Sesshoumaru turned to the right, passing two doors as he made his way to the dojo.

He turned on the lights, turning as soon as his feet touched the padding. He walked to the swords mounted on the wall, pulling Kagome to stand in front of him. He held her in front of him for a moment, his chin resting on her head as he pressed her closer to his chest. Kagome watched as he raised her hand toward the top sword, her eyes sliding shut as his warmth flooded through her as their hands wrapped around the hilt. Sesshoumaru pulled up, bringing her hand and the sword with him, then pressed inward.

A section of the wall slid away, revealing a numbered keypad. Sesshoumaru once again guided Kagome's fingers through the code, his hand wrapped around hers as he guided her index finger to the correct numbers.

"0...5...8...5" he whispered softly in her ear; secretly pleased at the way her body responded, her slight arousal mingling in with her normal scent. He smiled, his head resting on Kagome's shoulder as they pressed enter. The keypad blinked green, and then it too slid away to reveal a gun closet. Kagome stared at the weaponry, including the old rifle in the corner.

"Is that?" she asked as she pointed to it, never thinking to walk toward it as Sesshoumaru draped his arms around her waist.

"Yes?"  
  
"Is that a Russian rifle?" she asked meekly. "Made in 1805?"

"It is," he told her, nodding in approval. "Now, do you remember how to get here?"

Kagome nodded. "Raise the sword up, then in. Punch in the numbers 0585. What is that anyway?"

"Rin's birthday."

"I get it. The month and year, right?"

"Right once again. One way to remember it is to remember that Rin loves flowers."

"And April showers make May flowers."

Sesshoumaru nodded once again, then pushed a button on the doorframe. The room instantly closed up and Sesshoumaru lead Kagome out of the room.

Kagome tried to adjust to the lack of light, wondering to herself how Sesshoumaru managed as they came to the steps. She tripped over one of the steps, Sesshoumaru catching her before she could fall back to the floor below.

"Perhaps I should carry you the rest of the way."

Kagome shook her head. "No, that's alr-" but by this time Sesshoumaru deemed his idea sound. He picked her up swiftly, holding her against his chest as he made his way up the rest of the stairs and to her room without injury. He stepped inside quickly, shutting her door before looking down at her.

"We're here," he told her. "But I guess you already knew that."

Silence.

"Kagome?" He looked down, finding Kagome asleep in his arms with her arms folded over her chest. She sighed happily in her slumber, a small smile creeping on her lips. Sesshoumaru bit back a chuckle as he tucked her in. He kneeled by her bedside, brushing a stray lock from her face as he gazed down at her.

"You'll be happy here, my pet," he whispered as he kissed her forehead. "You'll see. I won't let anyone hurt what is mine."

__

'But not for the reasons I think.'

/8:30 am Saturday, Kagome's Room/

Kagome bolted up, her hair matted to her face as she tried to calm her breathing. The short, terrified pants gave way to her normal breathing as she raised a hand to her heart. 'That dream', she cursed, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

'But…it's different. He was different. He seemed scared this time, and worried.' She walked into the bathroom, turned on the sink's faucet and washed her face. 'But the odd thing was…he seemed worried about me.' Kagome dried her face with a nearby towel, wondering her mental state as a knock sounded on her door.

"Yes?"

"Lady-I mean, Kagome. It is Ah." Kagome smiled, opening the door and stepping to the side so Ah could come in. "Are you alright?" he asked her, taking in the lingering fear and despair in her scent.

Kagome nodded, attempting to smooth back her hair. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a stupid dream."

"Want to talk about it?"

Kagome shook her head. "Nope. I'm rather stuck on the idea that it'll go away."

Ah sat down on the footstool at the foot of the bed, staring up at her in concern. "How long have you had it?"

Kagome counted on her fingers, her eyes upturned. "It'll be four months tomorrow."

Ah stood up, his fist to his chin as he considered what she said. "Perhaps you should talk to someone about it. A lot of times these kinds of dreams are trying to tell us something."

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, well, I doubt this one is. It deals with the impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, just improbable."

"OK then, it's improvable. Now what can I do you for?"

Ah blinked, a tad confused at the statement. Kagome giggled. "Sorry about that. It's something the other marshals and I say. What can I do for you?"

Ah opened her room door, motioning for her to follow him. "Takamada-sama requests you come down to the living room."

"Alright." Kagome jogged beside him, her bare feet making a padding sound on the polished wooden floor.

Kagome stopped at the living room door, Ah screeching to a halt as Kagome gaped at the room. "What in the hell happened here?" she wondered as she stared at the mountains of boxes in front of her. They were all of various sizes and colors, with each separated by color. Ah grabbed her hand and lead her to the sofa, glancing up as Sesshoumaru and Un came into the room.

"What's all this?" Kagome asked as she picked up a box and shook it. "It looks like Toys for Tots in this place."

"Actually, I decided to order you a few things," Sesshoumaru said as he ripped the invoice off one of the boxes. Kagome gaped at him, then at the boxes around them. "You're telling me that everything here is mine?!"

"If you so choose it to be," he told her as he sat down. "I'm sure that there will be some things you won't like. I'm not used to picking out women's clothing."

Kagome shook her head as Ah handed her a box. "I don't think this is-YOU ORDERED UNDERWEAR TOO?!!!"

Sesshoumaru peered into the box, nodding in approval and confirmation. "You are without them, correct?"

"Yeah but-"

"I took the time last night to do a little shopping. Take your time to decide, and Ah will take your choices to your room."

"I can't accept this Mr. Takamada," Kagome told him as she handed the box to him.

"Why not?"

"It's too much. I haven't done a thing to deserve it."

Sesshoumaru slid over, draped his arm on the sofa behind her as he motioned for her to take the box back. When she didn't, Sesshoumaru prepared himself for another battle of wills. "I say different. You have stayed by my side for four months, protected me from many dangers, and managed to provide some entertainment while doing so. Take it."

"No." Kagome glared up at him, her temper flaring at the 'entertainment' part of his comment. "I can't. I don't want people thinking I did something other than protect you to get this, nor do I want it to be expected for me to do anything else in return."

It was Sesshoumaru's turn to become angry, his temper flaring even as his mind whirled about a way to reprimand her without hurting her. He stood up suddenly, then tossed the box at her feet.

"I never expected, nor did I ever expect, for you to do anything 'extra' for this. It is good to know you think so lowly of me, though I think so highly of you." He turned and left, leaving Kagome, Ah and Un stunned.

Kagome finally picked the box up, returning the spilled bra and panty set to their proper place. "Wow, how rude," she grumbled. Ah and Un narrowed their eyes at her, immediately catching her attention.

"What?"

"You are right Kagome. That was rude, but it wasn't on Takamada-sama's part."

Kagome glared at the both of them, her temper flaring once again. "Are you saying it's MY FAULT he left like a four year old?!!!"

Ah shook his head, motioning for Un to let him handle things as he answered Kagome's question. "I'm not saying that in the least. What we are saying is that Takamada-sama is not one to extend such charity lightly-"

"And for you to decline it is an insult in itself," Un said, ignoring Ah. "But for you to imply that he had an ulterior motive for his generosity-"

"Was a slap in the face," Ah finished, glaring at Un over Kagome's head. "Takamada-sama, as I've already told you, holds you in high regard."

"He is a man of honor, and would not think the thoughts you just accused him of," Un interrupted. Kagome hung her head as the two siblings held a mental war. Ah finally sighed as Un scowled, patting Kagome's shoulder.

"He meant what he said. He really does think highly of you. There are plenty of women that are willing to throw themselves at his feet, willing to trade places with you. He thinks of you as a friend, if I do so say, and that is why he's so willing to do this."

Kagome sighed, guilt washing over her as she considered the twins' words. 'They're right. I'm such a jerk.'

Ah smiled as Kagome lightly smacked her forehead. "I'm such an idiot."

"Perhaps you should try to find him," Ah suggested, he and Un helping her to stand. Kagome walked to the door, then glanced back at them.

"Are you guys sure about this?"

Ah nodded as Un waved. "Yes. He's very forgiving."

Kagome waved back uncertainly, finally walking out of the room. Un sighed as Ah sat down. "Either he'll forgive her, or he'll rip her to shreds."

Un shook his head, then grinned as he pulled out $10. "How much do you want to bet that he rips her?"

"I have $50."

"Then $50 it is! If he does, you owe me!"

Ah smiled, thumping his money on the couch. 'This should be interesting,' he mused as Un dropped his money as well.

Kagome walked down the steps, muttering as she passed the window. 'Where is he?' she wondered. 'I've tried the dojo, the ballroom, and his room but I _still_ can't find him.' She stopped at the base of the steps, recalling what Ah said to her yesterday.

__

"If you can't find him anywhere else, you can find him here."

Kagome smiled, her feet padding the way to Sesshoumaru's office. She listened at the door a moment, the soft sound of keys clicking affirming his position.

"Mr. Takamada?" Kagome called, knocking softly. The keys stopped clicking, but nothing else was heard. Kagome took it as permission. She opened the door, then closed it behind her and leaned against it.

"Mr. Takamada…"

Sesshoumaru started typing again, never looking up from his work. Kagome fidgeted, her fingers playing with the sleeves of her 'nightshirt' as she called him again.

"Mr. Takamada…"

Again he ignored her, his fingers tapping insistently on the keyboard. Kagome sighed, figuring she deserved this. 'After all, I did call the man a hentai…in so many words.' She smiled, walking until she stood over his shoulder. "Mr. Takamada?"

'This guy can hold a grudge,' she thought as she tried to figure out what to do. Kagome finally shrugged, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She rested her chin on his shoulders, much like he did her last night as she whispered

"I'm sorry."

Sesshoumaru stopped typing, but didn't say a word as Kagome leaned her head against his. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I didn't mean to insult you. It's just that I don't want anyone to think I'm using you, especially you."

"Why would I think that?" he asked. Kagome shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't want you to."

"Why do you care what I think? Aren't you just supposed to protect me?"

Kagome thought about that for a moment. 'Why do I care about what he thinks? It's not like he's a friend or something.' But something inside her disagreed, bringing up the times where they seemed like they were.

Kagome blushed further as Sesshoumaru got up and walked to the door. He looked over his shoulder, with a small smile on his face. "Don't look like that. I want to watch a movie. Know of a good one?"

Kagome jumped up instantly, a bright smile on her face. "Yeah! 'Blood Moon'!"

"Huh?"

"You've never heard of 'Blood Moon'?" Kagome gaped at him in horror. Sesshoumaru shook his head no.

"You poor man!" Kagome chirped as she grabbed his hand and practically dragged him into the living room. "Where's the TV?"

"Thanks," she whispered shakily. "I don't know what would have happened-"

"You would have purified him into a nasty purple goo," Sesshoumaru assured her as he hugged her. "It's ok. Don't cry."

"Who said I would cry?" Kagome asked defiantly as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Oh hell," she groaned as another fell, then another as if of their own accord. "I am going to cry."

"Its perfectly fine," Sesshoumaru assured her. "Someone should have come down here with you."

"How are you?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome smirked. "Were you worried about me Mr. Takamada?" she teased, knowing she'd get a 'Hell no' in response.

"Yes, actually."

Kagome looked back at him, her eyes widening impossibly. "Really?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Really." He wrapped her in a gentle embrace, leaning slightly so his chin could rest on the top of her head. "You may be tough, but you're still female. They could have hurt you."

"Wow," Kagome whispered as her eyes widened more. "Um, thanks Takamada."

'He is my friend, isn't he?' Kagome thought as she smiled down at him. "Because you're my friend. I don't know when it happened, but I now care about you like I do Sango and Miroku."

"But not Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru teased, finally turning toward her. Kagome rolled her eyes. "He has his moments."

"But I do not…"

Kagome giggled as he pulled her into his lap, shaking her head. "Nope. You have yours too. But I do care what you think, and I'm sorry I made you mad."

Sesshoumaru returned the hug, mentally congratulating himself on this small victory. "Your forgiven." He leaned back, watching her as he said "And you are my friend as well."

Kagome grinned, throwing her arms behind his head as she hugged him again. Sesshoumaru patted her back, a sadistic smile on his face. "Will you accept the clothes now?"

Kagome pulled back, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't know."

Sesshoumaru curled a finger under her chin, tilting her head up so he could stare into her eyes. "I would appreciate it if you did."

Kagome thought a little more, then nodded. "I will, but only if I get to give you something in return."

Sesshoumaru nodded, praising himself for yet another win. Kagome stood up and walked out, leaving a very pleased taiyoukai behind.


	20. The Inconvenience of Not Knowing and the...

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty: The Inconvenience of Not Knowing and the Importance of Being Earnest

/1:20 PM, Boston, Mass./

Sesshoumaru sat in his home office, bored out of his mind. He was in a phone meeting with stockholders in Japan, Germany and Austria, and it just seemed to go on and on and-

"That's it for today Mr. Takamada. Thank you for attending this meeting yourself instead of Mr. Hitame."

"Of course," Sesshoumaru muttered before shutting off his laptop. He rubbed between his eyes with the ball of his thumb, trying to ward off a headache.

'Whatever happened to the days where meetings were solved when half of your opponent lay at your feet, and the other half across the room?' he mused as the doorbell rang. At first, he thought of it as no big deal, but Kagome's voice followed after.

"No, I have it. Thanks."

"But are you sure milady," Un asked.

"I'm sure. It's not that big. Thank you though."

Sesshoumaru, his curiosity piqued, walked out of his study to see what it was Kagome and the butler were talking about. He came into the room just as Kagome shut the door, a large cardboard box at her feet.

"What is that?" he asked, remembering that he didn't expect any deliveries today. Kagome turned to him and smiled.

"Hi Mr. Takamada! You startled me for a moment there."

"My apologies," Sesshoumaru murmured as he stepped closer to the box. "What is this?"

"Oh! This!" Kagome exclaimed, effectively putting an urgency on the headache Sesshoumaru was trying to avoid. He sighed as Kagome explained.

"I got paid yesterday, and what little was left after expenses I used to buy a few things."

"I would have purchased those for you," Sesshoumaru told her. "You had only to ask."

"I'm sure of that, but I wanted specifics. Don't worry. It's just work-out clothes. Oh, and Grandpa sent me some things too." She groaned, glaring at the box suddenly. "I bet it's miko robes."

"Miko robes?"

Kagome nodded. "Grandpa's been in heaven since I started training again, so he most likely sent a few as a reward." She shook her head miserably. "Why couldn't he send me a new cell phone or something?"

"I would like to see them," Sesshoumaru told her, fully anticipating the dismay on her face.

"Why?"

"You're my first miko, and it wouldn't hurt to see what you would look like if you were born a few centuries ago."

Kagome grumbled, but lifted the gigantic box and headed for the steps. "My first miko," she grumbled. "Like I'm a Mattel product or something!"

"Do you need any help Kagome?" Sesshoumaru called as Kagome stumbled up the first step.

"Nope!" she called from around the box. "I have it."

"Sure, I bet you do," Sesshoumaru whispered as he pushed a white button on the wall. Ah came down the steps moments later, stopping before Kagome to peer down at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru motioned to Kagome and walked back to his study, a silent request for Ah to keep her from injuring herself. Ah immediately turned to Kagome as she struggled for the next step.

"Good afternoon Kagome."

"Oh, hi Ah!" Kagome called, peeking over the side of the box. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Would you like some help with that?"

"Um, no thanks. I've got-" Ah scooped the box out of her hand and stood on the landing, motioning with his foot to lead the way. "Well," Kagome finished. "If you insist."

"What's in here, if you don't mind me asking," Ah replied as they walked up the final set of steps and turned down the hallway to her room. Kagome shrugged. "Just some workout clothes, and a few gifts from my grandfather. Mr. Takamada wants to see one of the miko robes he sent too."

"Really? I would love to see that myself," Ah told her as Kagome opened her door. She waited for Ah to walk in first, then followed behind him.

"OK Ah. Right here."

"Thank goodness," Ah groaned as he set the box down in the middle of the room. "That thing isn't heavy, it's just cumbersome." He turned and bowed to Kagome as she reached for one of the daggers on her arm. "Is there anything else I can get you?" he asked as Kagome kneeled down and ripped the shipping tape open. Kagome thought a moment, then nodded. "Could you get me the bow in the dojo please? I think it would make a great touch."

"Of course," Ah replied, dismissing himself from the room. Kagome opened the box, and after sorting through a few pairs of pants and t-shirts she found what she dreaded.

'Yup, Grandpa sent them,' she thought as she tossed the robes on her bed. Her laptop beeped from it's place on the vanity all of a sudden. Kagome sat down and, after wiring her shades to her laptop, pushed the connection button.

"Kagome here."

"Hi Kagome-girl!" Sango called as her face came into view. "How are you?"

"Pretty good," Kagome admitted. "I just got that package I ordered."

"Did your grandpa send you anything?"  
  
"Yeah," Kagome answered. "Why?"

Sango held up a black pair of leggings, a black top and a wide fuchsia sash. "Because he sent me one too."

Kagome started to laugh, holding her sides as she gasped. "Why did he send you that?"

"I guess he figured that since you're training again, that maybe I should too. If he sends that giant boomerang I'll just die."

Kagome shook her head, her laughing fit dying to mere glee. "Oh well. Perhaps you should start training again. After all, there are youkai after Inuyasha and Takamada too."

"Yeah, that is right." Sango thought a moment, her head tilted to the side curiously. "Have you ever wondered why?"

"Why what?"  
  
"Why youkai are after them too. Normally youkai don't care about humans, but we've had to keep at least two waves at bay since we started this mission. That's not including the elemental youkai that attacked you and Takamada by the pool."

Kagome nodded, now curious about the subject herself. "I don't know. I guess I'll have to ask. I have to go Sango. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"Yeah!" Miroku interrupted, scooting in beside Sango. "Inuyasha got his notebook back!"

"Really? When?"

"About a day ago. Apparently Katrina posted a reward at the police station when it was first stolen. She got a call the other day about it. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, that is great," Kagome mumbled, finding something off about the whole thing. 'A laptop like Inuyasha's would've been worth a great deal. So why wasn't it pawned? Why steal it if you're not going to pawn it?"

"Oh, but that's it Kagome," Sango said finally. "So we'll go. Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

"Could you leave your laptop hooked up? You never know when it's an emergency."

"Alright then. Sounds reasonable."

"Thanks. That's all I wanted. Sango out."

"Kagome out."

"My lord, what are we doing again?" Un asked as he came down the steps. Sesshoumaru and Ah stood on the floor below, Sesshoumaru with his arms crossed over his chest and Ah leaning against a wall.

"We are waiting for Kagome," Sesshoumaru told him. "She is showing us something."

"Oh. OK."

All was quiet once again, until Kagome's voice came down the steps. "Here I come you guys."

Her head poked over the landing rail moments later, her ponytail cascading over her shoulder as she smiled down at them. She descended the steps to them, stopping a few inches from Sesshoumaru. "How do I look you guys?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru stared through her, images of his past flashing through him mind as his brain went on red alert. He growled softly, too low for Kagome to hear but loud enough for Ah and Un. They watched him nervously as he his claws extended and his fangs protruded from his mouth, neither action noticed by Kagome as she twirled around.

Something inside her subconscious did notice the tension thought, and instead of purifying the threat, it sent out rosy tendrils of soothing serenity.

The youkai before her calmed instantly, Sesshoumaru's youkai features leaving him as he focused on the miko in front of him.

"Well?" Kagome asked, her hands on her hips. That single act snapped Sesshoumaru out of his red alert, finally focusing on Kagome herself. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, with the same tendril framing her face. The oversized bow she held in her hands in front of her. Her white haori was traditional, but the navy blue hakamas were not. They seemed to bring out the blue in her eyes, reducing the gray to tiny steel flecks of starlight.

"Lovely, Lady Kagome," Ah finally answered. Un nodded in agreement as he asked. "I thought miko colors were white and red."

Kagome nodded, turning from Sesshoumaru to Un as she answered him. "They were until 2 centuries. The different temples decided to change to their own colors so mikos from different shrines could be identified easily. This is my grandfather's temple's color," she said, tugging on the hakamas. She then turned back to Sesshoumaru, watching the curious expression on his face.

"Mr. Takamada, are you alright?"

Sesshoumaru mentally shook himself, blinking slightly as he nodded. "Yes, I'm alright." He placed his hand on her shoulder, a near smile on his face. "I wasn't expecting something so traditional to be so startling."

"I don't understand," Kagome told him.

"It is hard for me to explain, but I agree with Ah. You are quite beautiful in your Grandfather's present."

Kagome blushed, lowering her head bashfully. "Thank you, Mr. Takamada," she whispered. Sesshoumaru nodded, then nudged her toward the stairs. "Now go change. You're uncomfortable."

"How can you tell?" Kagome asked as she stood on the first step. Sesshoumaru smirked. 'You mean, besides your scent?' "The frown in your forehead, plus you keep tugging on your haori sleeve."

Kagome blushed again, this time in embarrassment. "I didn't know I was so easy to read."

Sesshoumaru's smirk widened. "Only to those who pay attention."

Kagome smiled, then turned and went back upstairs. She came down moments later, dressed in a black tube top and white cotton pants.

"Where's Takamada?" she asked Ah and Un.

"He went to his study," Ah told her, pointing down the hallway. Kagome thanked him, then went down the hallway to Sesshoumaru's office. She knocked first before entering, finding Sesshoumaru in front of his laptop per usual.

"Mr. Takamada, I'm going to the dojo for a couple of hours. Do you need anything?"

Sesshoumaru swiveled the chair around, glancing at her attire before addressing her. "You don't have to pretend to be my assistant here Kagome."

"Huh?" Kagome thought a moment , then smiled. "Do you remember the discussion we had last week about us being friends?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Well, for me that means that I check with you before I do something, just in case you need me for anything. So, again, do you need anything?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No, I don't. Thank you for telling me."

Kagome grinned, nodding her head. "See! Now you're getting the hang of things! If you do need me, you know what to do."

"Whistle?"

Kagome shook her head, instantly sorry for that little joke. "No, come get me." She sauntered out of Sesshoumaru's office, leaving Sesshoumaru to do whatever he was doing in peace.

/Wednesday 11:53 am, The Emerald City/

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk, watching the Tetsusaiga launch on his computer screen. He glanced at the break room door, where he sent Kagome for her weekly staff meeting. To be perfectly honest, he was more interested in the staff meeting than in the launch. His ears twitched toward the door as Kagome's laughter rang out from behind it.

"Poor Miroku!" she groaned, still giggling slightly.

"I know!" Sesshoumaru heard Sango reply from her side of the laptop. "He owes Inuyasha $100, not to mention the $200 he's lost already!"

Kagome giggled again, this time with Sango. "Miroku should have known better than to gamble his money away."

"I agree."

"So," Kagome said as she took a deep breath. "How are things?"

"Pretty good. Inuyasha sold his townhouse and bought a new one."

"Really?"

'Foolish hanyou,' Sesshoumaru thought with a sigh. 'When will he learn not to throw money away so carelessly?'

"Yeah. It's a nice one too. It's closer to Katrina's apartment. But other than that, nothing's new. Did you ever find out what happened to your clothes?"

"No," was Kagome's saddened reply. "I don't know where they went."

"Perhaps Istanbul."

"Or Timbuktu," Kagome said with a giggle. Sesshoumaru shook his head. 'They're both wrong. They should try Iran.'

"But it was really nice of Mr. Takamada to get you some new threads," Sango said moments later.

"Yeah…"

"What's wrong?"

Kagome sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it and all. I just don't like him giving me things without me giving something back."

"Don't you think risking your life for the guy is present enough?"

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, leaning back in his chair so he could hear Kagome's response better.

"Yeah, but I just…I don't know. He's just done so much for me, you know?"

"No, I don't know," was Sango's confused reply. "What are you talking about?"

Kagome sighed. "Look, don't freak out ok?"

"Huh?"

Sesshoumaru was a tad confused too. He grabbed a pen from his desk, twirling it between his middle and index finger as Kagome explained.

"Do you remember the night of Jinsue's ball?"

"Yeah," Sango replied. "How can I forget? Worst night's sleep ever."

"Well, it wasn't for me…"

Sango was quiet for a moment, then "YOU AND MR. TAKAMADA SLEPT TOGETHER?!!!!"

"Shhhhh!" Kagome hissed. "Be quiet! No, we didn't, at least not in the way your thinking." Kagome sighed. "I think all that time spent with Miroku is turning you into a pervert."

"Whatever. So what happened?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure. I mean, I was rather-"

"Wasted?"

Kagome groaned. "That. Anyway, we've done that ever since then."

"So while you were here…"

"Uh-huh."

"And in Seattle…"

"Uh-huh."

"And now?"

"No, not now. That's my problem."

'Don't tell me she misses me…' Sesshoumaru thought with a smirk.

"_What's _the problem?" Sango asked irritably.

Kagome sighed moments later, misery laced in the wistful tone of her voice. "When he's with me, the dream isn't as bad. It's like seeing a movie or something. But now that I'm by myself again, it's more intense than it was 3 months ago."

"Ohhhhhhhh….Hey! Why don't you tell Mr. Takamada about the dreams?"

"What?"

'Yes, why don't you?' Sesshoumaru mused, rather amused with the fact that he and Sango were on the same level for once.

"Tell him," Sango said moments later. Kagome must have looked to argue, because Sango replied "At least tell him about the affect he has on the dream. Plus he might know the guy."

Sesshoumaru bristled slightly at this, his features taking on a disapproving frown. 'So, the nightmares are about a man are they? We'll have to purge those images-'

"Sure," Kagome said condescendingly. "Let's see…how would you feel if the only woman standing between you and death walks up to you and says 'Well gee Mr. Takamada. I know I'm the only one keeping you from being sliced into youkai Kibbles, but I have a question. You see, I've been plagued with these nightmares and…You wouldn't happen to know any taiyoukais, would you?"

Clink!

Sesshoumaru blinked, barely aware of the pen that sailed across the room, bounced off one of the glass end tables, and into the door on the other side. 'A…taiyoukai? How unless…could she be bewitched somehow?'

"Alright Kagome," Sango said, her voice soothing and defeated. "You made your point. I just thought it would be a good idea-"

"Well it's not. I don't want him thinking I'm some kind of nut or something."

"Ohhhhh…" Sango drawled curiously. "I get it."

"Get what?"

"You like him, don't you?"

"No. He's…a friend."

But the way Kagome said it wasn't convincing, to Sango or Sesshoumaru as Sango started to laugh. "I don't see why not. I'd say he's cute."

"Yes," Kagome said dryly. "If I remember, you're exact words were 'Hot shit on a plate'."

'Ahh…so that's what that means.'

"Whatever," Sango huffed. "You know you do. You two should hook up."

"What happened to me needing to get laid?"

"Oh, I'm sure he's good for that too."

Sesshoumaru shook his head, an uncharacteristic smirk on his face as Kagome sputtered. "That's it. Meeting over."

"Oh wait! I'm sorry! But you have to admit that he is rather…"

"Alright damn it!" Kagome said, as if she were trying not to scream. "He's cute! Happy?"

"Thrilled! There's hope for you yet Kagome-girl!"

"Why do I bother? Goodbye Sango-"

"Wait! I have one more thing!"

Kagome sighed. "What?"

Sango cleared her throat, then "Kagome and Takamada sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-"

Click!

It took a moment for Sesshoumaru to recognize the sound, but when he did, he again held back a chuckle as Kagome's grumbling fluttered from the break room.

"Sometimes I really hate that bitch," she muttered good naturedly as she snapped the laptop closed. She appeared in the doorway moments later, with a small smile on her face.

"How was your meeting Mr. Takamada?" she asked, peering over his shoulder at his computer. Sesshoumaru immediately closed the screen before she could get a decent look at anything. "It was…boring." He turned to her as she sat on the corner of his desk with a smirk. "And how was _your_ meeting?"

Kagome blushed slightly, but said "Fine. Rather boring too."

"I see."

Kagome looked around, staring inquisitively at the pen lying on the floor. "What happened to that?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at it, then returned his gaze to her. "Nothing important." He sighed mentally as Kagome settled herself on his desk. "One of these days, I'm going to train you-"

"Train me to do what?" Kagome interrupted, a tenseness in her voice.

"To not sit on my desk."

Kagome nodded, her eyes closed as a funny look crossed her face. "Really?"

"That is the plan."

"hmmm…" She suddenly hiked up the legs of her wide-legged pants and climbed on top of his desk. She stood there for a moment, leaving heel prints all over his contracts. He glared up at her, watching the playful glint in her eyes as she looked down at him.

Kagome crouched down, much like a dog, as she looked at him and said "Woof."

Sesshoumaru blinked, watching impassively as Kagome sat up and 'begged'. "What are you doing?"

"You said you wanted to train me. So, train."

"Get down."

Kagome shook her head.

"Don't make me get you down."

"I'm faster than you."

"Want to test that theory?" In a flash, Sesshoumaru grasped her by her waist, dragged her off the desk and into his lap. Kagome crossed her arms and pouted. "No fun. You cheated."

"No, I am faster."

Kagome huffed. "Whatever. Hey!" she chirped with the speed of a madman. "I'm hungry!"

"And I care why…"

Kagome scowled. "I'm hungry, so you should care. You can't train anyone on an empty stomach." She growled lightly, her hands shaped into little claws. "Feed me mortal."

Sesshoumaru tried to hold in his amusement, but the picture she made was just to cute to not be laughed at. "And if I don't?"

"Then I'll eat you instead."

Sesshoumaru's shoulders shook under the statement, trying his best not to turn the innocent words into something more…_interesting_. Kagome peered into his face, a small smirk on hers. "I made you laugh. You hardly ever laugh." She stood up, pulling him to his feet as she reached for her coat. "This calls for a celebration!"

"Of what kind?" Sesshoumaru asked, grabbing his coat as Kagome dragged him to the door.

Kagome stopped, her hand clutching the doorknob. She nibbled on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Hmmm…." she said after a while. "I don't know." Sesshoumaru shook his head as she finally shrugged. "But we'll figure it out in the car." She proceeded to drag him out of his office to the elevator. She waved to CiCi.

"We're going to lunch!" Kagome called, pausing by her desk before continuing toward the elevator. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at the amusement on his secretary's face, only to hear her laughter as the elevator doors closed behind them. He playfully scowled down at Kagome, who seemed to still be thinking of a destination to pay him any attention.

"Were are we going Kagome?"

She looked up and shrugged. "Don't know yet."

"So you dragged me out of my office for nothing?"

"Not for nothing Mr. Takamada. You need to spend a little less time working anyway."

It was then that Sesshoumaru noticed something odd. 'She still calls me Mr. I wonder why?' He thought back to her conversations with her friends in Jacksonville, including the arguments she and Inuyasha used to have. 'Yes, she called Inuyasha by his first name too. I wonder why she hasn't called me by mine."

"Figured out where to go yet?" Kagome asked, effectively derailing Sesshoumaru's train of thought.

"This is your idea."

"Fine."

Sesshoumaru smirked as Kagome started to grumble, something she was doing a lot of lately. His thoughts turned serious as he considered her. 'Such a mystery this little human is. But that is what makes her interesting. Each day that passes I learn something new about her.' He frowned suddenly, again ignored by Kagome as she continued her mutterings about stubborn c. e. o. s and their ego trips. 'This dream though. I do not like it, but how to bring up the subject without alarming her?'

Sesshoumaru shelved the idea as the elevator doors opened. He and Kagome stepped into the lobby, Kagome once again 'leading' him through it to the outer doors and the city beyond.

/Friday 8:23 pm; The Dojo/

Sesshoumaru slowly lifted himself up, the muscles in his arms tensing under his weight as he crossed his chin over the bar. The rest of his body dangled from his grip on the chin-up bar, relaxed and flowing as Sesshoumaru methodically went through his exercise routine.

Unlike other youkai in his position, Sesshoumaru chose to stay as lethal and deadly even in his comfortable wealth. He sighed, his eyes closed as he repeated the necessary motions.

'I miss the old days,' he mused as he flipped over, his knees hooking around pole supporting his upside down position. He did his sit ups this way, finding it a tad more difficult with the added risk of his blood rushing to his head.

'What I need is a good fight…or a good screw.' Instantly his thoughts shifted to the young miko under his roof. 'I wonder what she's doing now?' He mused as he crossed his arms over his chest. He lifted his torso effortlessly, his chin touching his knees before settling back down. His hair, held back in it's usual low ponytail swayed slightly below him. 'My little prize…' He smiled to himself as he continued his exercises, loosing count of the repetitions as he mused over his subject.

'I've yet to see her fight,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself. 'I wonder what technique she uses. She seems as if she would be good at nijitsu, but perhaps not. I would love to see.' An idea struck him suddenly. Sesshoumaru thought a moment, then nodded to himself as he flipped down. 'Yes, that would be a good idea. I'm in need of a good fight, and who better to give one than a miko like her.'

He exited the dojo, following Kagome's scent to the living room. Sesshoumaru leaned against the doorframe, watching her quietly. She sat on the floor, deeply engrossed in a video game of Rin's.

"Damn it!" she grumbled at the TV as she pushed the buttons on the controller. "Cut me some slack would you?"

"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru finally asked, having moved from the door to her side. Kagome paused the game and smiled up at him. "Oh, hi Mr. Takamada! How are you?"

'There she goes with that 'Mr. Takamada' kick again…' "Fine Kagome. What are you doing?"

"Playing a game. It's one of my favorites."

Sesshoumaru looked up at the screen. "It looks boring."

"It's not! It's pretty great! See that guy right there?" Kagome pointed to a figure on the right side of the screen. "He's the leader of this group called SeeDs."

"What is a SeeD?"

Kagome stopped, scratching her head. "I…don't know. Never have. But anyway-"

Sesshoumaru shook his head in amusement, but continued to listen.

"His bar is here." She tapped the screen. "When his bar turns red, you get this menu. " She resumed the game. " The menu has 4 commands that he can do. If you pick Attack, he slashes the monster in front of him. If you pick GF-"

"What is a GF?"

"Um, kinda like a youkai. Anyway, if you pick it, the bar changes to blue but empties out. When it does, the GF fights for a moment, then you get your original character back-"

"As interesting as this all is," Sesshoumaru interrupted, his hand on her shoulder to insure that he had her complete attention. "I wish to ask you something."

"Sure. Shoot."

"Would you spar with me?" Kagome's laughter had not been what Sesshoumaru expected. He glared at her as she giggled herself silly. "What is so funny?"

Kagome gasped, trying to contain her amusement as she looked up at him. "I'm so sorry about that. It's just that I don't think that's the best idea."

"And why not?" Sesshoumaru asked, ignoring how adorable she looked with that happy smile on her face, nor how much he missed it when she answered him.

"Because when I train I'm trying to do something…"

'Hmmm…' Sesshoumaru thought as he took a seat beside her. 'This should be interesting.' "What are you trying to do?"

Kagome sighed wearily; Sesshoumaru noticing for the first time how drained she looked as she explained. "I'm trying to reach my Limit Break."

"Limit Break?" Sesshoumaru repeated, remembering the word from when Rin tried to explain her game to him a few years ago. "What is that?"

"It's when a miko finally reaches true power. See, right now I can disable a human, purify a youkai-"

'Don't remind me…'

"And heal but I can't do them all at the same time. That's what a Limit Break is. Each miko has an innate way of using her power, but it does the same thing with every miko."

"I'm confused."  
  
Kagome nodded. "I thought you would be."  
  
"Then why try to explain?"

"Because you need to know this. It could save your life. Anyway, it's like this;" Kagome said, trying to smooth over his obvious wounded pride as she recalled what her grandfather's textbooks said. "A Limit Break is where a miko can use all three powers at the same time during battle. The healing part heals the miko and anyone in her good graces. The healing and a part of the human defenses create a shield to protect them, and the purity and the other part of the human defenses destroy any threat in a five mile radius."

Sesshoumaru nodded. He remembered hearing of this technique from his father, but always doubted its existence. None of the mikos he fought ever used it, so he figured it to be nothing but a fairy tale. Hearing it now, from Kagome, seemed to affirm his father's warnings about the creatures. "And how will that keep you from sparing with me?"

Kagome sighed again, reaching to take the disk out of the game console and turn it off. "If I were to reach it while sparring with you, I could seriously hurt you."

"I doubt that will happen," Sesshoumaru replied. He stood up, his hand outstretched to her as he gave her a wolfish smile. "You know we're not trying to hurt each other, so there's no risk. Besides, it has to be boring just destroying dummies all day."

"Well….." Kagome considered a moment, then nodded. "OK! Let's go!"

Sesshoumaru and Kagome entered the dojo minutes later, each taking up a separate side of the room as lightening flashed in the skylight overhead.

"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome walked past him to the CD player implanted in the wall.

"I always train to music. You should try it sometime. It helps to concentrate."

"I'll stick to the old ways, thank you very much."

"OK," Kagome muttered as she popped a disk into the CD player. She pushed a few buttons for a moment, then turned to Sesshoumaru.

"Are we using weapons?" she asked.

"Do you want to?"

"Nope." Kagome shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Alright then. Hand to hand it is." Sesshoumaru gently shoved her away from the wall.

"Wait! I forgot to press play!"

Sesshoumaru reached over and pushed it for her. Kagome scowled, but shrugged as the music started to play. She giggled slightly at Sesshoumaru's confused face.

"What?"

"You listen to classical music?" he asked before the music took a drastic, dark turn. Kagome shook her head.

"Nope. Now get ready."

Sesshoumaru smiled, dropping into his old fighting stance from memory. Kagome dropped into hers, something Sesshoumaru instantly recognized as kickboxing.

'That does suit her,' he mused as Kagome smiled. "We'll start when the verse starts."

"Alright."

They waited a little more, then

/I am a little bit of loneliness, a little bit of disregard/

Sesshoumaru and Kagome darted toward each other, clashing the instant they reached each other. Sesshoumaru merely blocked Kagome's punches and kicks, secretly admiring the graceful way she fought. 'But it's too perfect, like a dance or something,' he concluded as Kagome whirled around him. He dodged at her first attempt to kick him, recognizing in an instant what she was doing when her foot stopped inches from his face.

'She's only playing.' Sesshoumaru, not one to enjoy being toyed with, growled low in his chest. 'I want to see her fight for real, not this flowery crap.'

/I am a little bit insecure, a little unconfident/

Kagome spun away from him, easily avoiding his attempts to grab her as she lightly smacked him in the ribs. 'Alright then, if she wants to play, I'll teach her how.'

Sesshoumaru stuck his foot out, tripping her up as Kagome attempted to get away from him once again. She fell to the floor with a thud, Sesshoumaru scooping her up instantly as she scowled up at him.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"You are not serious," Sesshoumaru told her as he brutally shoved her away. "Fight me, not dance for me."

Kagome growled back in response, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Fine. Have it your way."

Sesshoumaru noticed the change instantly. The whirling stopped, her kicks and punches coming at a nearly lightening rate as Sesshoumaru blocked and dodged again. He turned away from her, his back to her for only a moment…

Which was all the opportunity she needed.

Kagome grabbed his ponytail, jerking it hard enough to bow him backward. Sesshoumaru snarled, keeping a tight reign on his youkai as Kagome kicked the back of his knees. He dropped like a stone to the padded floor.

He reached up, grabbing Kagome by the waist. She slapped his cheek lightly, startling him into letting go long enough for her to shove him back to the floor. Sesshoumaru grimaced, but leaped to his feet as Kagome bounded across the room.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Sesshoumaru brushed himself off, then slowly took off his sweat-soaked tank top. He meant for the action to be intimidating, but the rising blush on Kagome's cheeks rebuked that idea entirely.

'Hmmm….perhaps this could be used to an advantage,' Sesshoumaru thought as he charged forward again. Kagome ignored his physique the instant he moved. She flipped over his head, reaching out to touch his exposed side before landing behind him. Sesshoumaru frowned. 'She sees a lot more than others do. I'm leaving a lot open. Have I lost my touch?'

Kagome kicked out, her foot purposely grazing his left thigh as her hand brushed past his ribs. "Ready to give up?" she jokes as Sesshoumaru went still.

Sesshoumaru turned to her, shaking his head as he did so. He was through playing with her. 'She will learn to respect me,' he thought to himself, each pass of Kagome's hand during their bout replaying in his head as he dropped into stance again. 'She will learn who's dominant.'

He reached out faster than Kagome could think, grabbing her arm and jerking her to the floor. Kagome yelped in surprise, but not before Sesshoumaru dragged her up and enfolded her in a near crushing bear hug.

"Mr. Takamada," Kagome gasped as Sesshoumaru dug his chin into the soft flesh between her shoulder and neck. "I can't breathe."

Sesshoumaru flung his arms open, instantly dropping her before picking her up again and pinning her to the wall by her shoulder.

"What is wrong with you?" Kagome panted as she stared at him. Sesshoumaru smirked, her fear of him evident on her face as well as in her scent. He took a deep breath, drinking it in as Kagome struggled to get away from him.

"You are weak."

"What?" Kagome squeaked. She hadn't seen Sesshoumaru's mouth move, so he didn't say anything…right?

"You are weak." Sesshoumaru tapped her nose as her scent shifted from fear to outrage.

"Why you arrogant-"

"How are you to be any good to me if you fight so poorly? You can't protect yourself." He let go of her shoulder, sending her to the floor again. This time he turned away from her, moving to walk out of the dojo.

"I'm not weak!"

Sesshoumaru smirked to himself, but ignored her as he reached down and picked up his shirt.

"Did you hear me?!"

Again, he ignored her.

Kagome seethed, her eyes narrowing into barely seen slits. "Don't ignore me!"

Sesshoumaru still said nothing, confidant in his control over her.

Kagome growled, the memories of her nightly dreams flooding to her with a vengeance.

__

'You are too weak to help me.'

'You are not training hard enough.'

"I…am…not…_weak_!"

Sesshoumaru felt the shift in power moments too late.

Kagome dashed forward, her eyes closed as she struck Sesshoumaru in the side. Sesshoumaru winced, turning to catch her again as she disappeared before his eyes. His feet were swept out from under him seconds later, sending him back to the floor.

Sesshoumaru snarled, but stopped at the sight before him. Kagome stood, still as a statue as she watched him. Tears streaked their way from her purple-clouded eyes as her entire body glowed a lavender intensity.

'What happened?' Sesshoumaru wondered as he stood up. Kagome barely blinked as she watched him, the tears never ceasing as she disappeared again. Sesshoumaru glanced around quickly, then winced as a sharp blow landed on his stomach.

'She's trying to hurt me,' Sesshoumaru realized.

He barely ducked being kicked in the head as Kagome foot whizzed by. Sesshoumaru grabbed her arm and slung her into a nearby wall, only to watch as she rebounded off it and shot toward him again. She screamed as she threw all of her fury into her punch, her fist glowing intently. Sesshoumaru dodged again, this time shoving her across the mat.

Kagome watched him, then ran toward him, fully intent on kicking him in the chest. Sesshoumaru anticipated this, grabbing her leg and throwing her toward the mirrors. At the last second, he grabbed her by her shirt collar and tossed her underhanded. Kagome bounced on the padded floor, skidding to a stop like a skipping stone as her head knocked on the padded wall. Sesshoumaru immediately pounced on her, straddling her waist with his hand wrapped loosely around her throat

Sesshoumaru observed her uneasily, until she groaned and tried to sit up.

"What happened?" she asked as normal, starlit eyes opened to his caramel ones. Sesshoumaru shrugged before releasing his hold on her throat.

"I don't know. You changed."

"Oh God," Kagome gasped, paling. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No," Sesshoumaru shook his head, his hair; which lost the ponytail elastic eons ago, shifted over his shoulder to mingle with hers on the floor. "But I have a feeling you will be sore."

"I think you might be right," Kagome groaned as she tried to sit up once again. "I can't move."  
  
"That could be because I'm sitting on you."

Kagome blushed prettily. "Get off me pervert."

"And let you attack me again?" Sesshoumaru teased, brushing a dark sweaty strand of hair behind her ear. "I think not." He smiled down at her, a true one that showed just a tad bit of worry on Kagome's behalf. "I believe this is my fault."

"Really?" Kagome asked. "What makes you say that?"  
  
"I said something rather rude to you. I did not mean it." He relaxed against her, his legs moving between hers as he kissed her forehead. "I am sorry."

Kagome blinked, not entirely sure as to what to say. "I forgive you I guess."

"Good."  
  
Sesshoumaru's arms were around her moments later, engulfing her in a warmth like no other. Kagome sighed in the embrace, wishing her arms were functioning so she could return it. Sesshoumaru glanced down at her moments later, a knowing smile on his face.

"I take it you can't move."

"Right."

"Then I'd better do this now, that way you can't hit me for it." Sesshoumaru's forehead touched hers suddenly, his lips moving toward hers. Kagome closed her eyes and braced herself for it, nervousness and a kind of longing racing through her veins.

"Is everything alri-oh. Forgive me Takamada-sama," Ah said from the doorway. Kagome blushed as Sesshoumaru kissed her nose, then glanced up at Ah. "Draw the lady a bath."

"As you wish," Ah replied before scampering away. Sesshoumaru kneeled, sitting up and observing Kagome's sprawled form beneath him. He scooped her up suddenly, carrying her bridal-style out of the dojo and to her room.

"What are you doing?!" Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru thumped her down on her bed. He dug around for a thin blanket inside her closet, his eyes flashing triumphantly as he fished it out. He draped it over Kagome, then reached under it and grabbed hold of her pants.

"I said what are you-HENTAI!!!!" she screeched when Sesshoumaru, in one quick jerk, yanked her pants off her and out from under the blanket. Sesshoumaru dropped them, shushing her as he reached under for her tank top.

"I'm helping you," he grunted, tossing the tube top over his shoulder.

"You call striping me helping?"

"You need a bath. You can't take one in your clothes." He smiled down at her. "I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to."

"Good, because I'd hate to see you turned into a glowing blue goo," she told him, missing his slight pale as she looked up at the ceiling. Her underwear were gone moments later, left in a pile along with the rest of her clothes as Sesshoumaru wrapped the blanket around her and carried her to the bathroom.

Ah smiled at Kagome as they came in, his finger testing the water's temperature. "All set, Kagome."

"Thanks Ah," Kagome replied as Sesshoumaru lowered her, blanket and all, into the water. He removed it the instant Kagome was fully submerged, leaving Kagome only covered in mountains of peach smelling bubbles. Sesshoumaru handed Ah the dripping blanket, mentally giving him his leave as he sat down on the edge of the tub.

"You can go now," Kagome told him, watching with relief as Ah bowed and left the room. Sesshoumaru stayed put. "I said you can go Takamada."

Sesshoumaru shook his head, silently laughing at her scandalized face. "I don't think so."

"And why not?"

"Can you move yet?" He answered for her. "No, you can't. You can't bathe yourself, no less keep upright. If you were to drown when I walked away, it would hurt me."

Kagome blushed, but shook her head. "You're not bathing me."

Sesshoumaru stood up and reached inside the corner shower, retrieving a white fluffy pouf. "I am and that's that." He smiled at her uneasiness. "Again, I won't touch anything I shouldn't."

Kagome glared up at him, but relented at the genuine helpful look in his eyes. "Alright fine. But if you touch anything, and I mean _anything_ you shouldn't, I get to hurt you. Deal?"

"Deal," Sesshoumaru agreed as he kneeled by the tub. He dipped the poof into the water in front of her, then gently nudged her forward. He braced her in the crook of his arm, his hand on her shoulder as the poof made slow circling patterns on her back. Kagome relaxed instantly, her eyes fluttering shut as Sesshoumaru continued his gentle ministrations.

She felt so secure, so safe lying so helplessly with him. She mentally shook herself for being so wary of him earlier. Sesshoumaru moved the poof over her shoulders, the hand on her shoulder holding her hair to the side as the water flowed over the sore muscles. She gave a soft sight when he nudged her back to the side of the tub, watching him through glassy eyes as he reached under the water.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he fished around. He seemed to be searching for something. "I said, what are you-"

"Found it!" Sesshoumaru replied as his hand wrapped around her foot. He ran the poof over the abused limb, sweeping the poof only as far as he knee before smoothing it back down. He paid the same attention to her other leg before moving back to the shower.

"What now?"

"I'm going to wash your hair. You need it."

Kagome scowled, but didn't protest as Sesshoumaru leaned her back into the water. He made sure to get her hair completely waterlogged before bringing her back up and resettling her against the tubside. He rubbed her shampoo in his hands, much as she had done him before running his hands through her hair.

Kagome could have purred under the way his fingers moved over her scalp. 'This is, by far, the best shampoo ever!' she thought as she melted in Sesshoumaru's hands. 'Not only is it relaxing, it's being done by a totally hot _shirtless_ guy!' She blushed at the Sango-like comment, not unnoticed by Sesshoumaru as he leaned her back for a rinse.

"Are you ok?" he asked, suddenly worried that her exertion had made her sick.

Kagome nodded, her blush darkening slightly before fading away. "Yeah, I'm fine."

'I bet you are,' Sesshoumaru mused as he rinsed and repeated her shampoo. He enjoyed the special attention he was giving her, even if she didn't. 'It's only proper for me to keep her clean when she can't.' Sesshoumaru told himself as he reached inside a linen closet for a towel. 'After all, it would reflect poorly on me if she were anything but.'

Sesshoumaru wrapped the towel around her head, squeezing slightly to soak up any moisture before mentally calling for Ah.

Ah appeared in the door moments later with a bow and a large, fluffy red towel. "Do you need anything?"

Kagome, not noticing Ah's appearance until he said something, started at Ah's entrance.

"I apologize Kagome," Ah told her as he stepped into the room. "Do you need me Takamada-sama?"

"Yes. Wrap that towel around her when I hold her up."

"Now wait just a damn minute!" Kagome sputtered when Sesshoumaru hooked his hands under her arms. "I'm not going to be ogled by you two!"

"But my lady, we must get you out," Ah protested. Sesshoumaru thought a moment, then smiled.   
  
"We will close our eyes. We won't open them until you say so."

Kagome looked up at him, her eyes gazing intently into his. "Promise?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I promise."

"What about you Ah?" Kagome said, turning her gaze to his dual-colored ones. Ah smiled and gave her a short bow. "I promise as well my lady."

"Good." Kagome sighed. "Let's get this over with then."

Sesshoumaru assured himself of his hold on her, then glanced back at Ah. Ah closed his eyes instantly, as did Sesshoumaru before he lifted Kagome out of the water.

Sesshoumaru could hear the splattering of water dripping on the floor before he heard Ah fumble past him. A few curses and mumbled 'hentai's later Kagome gave the word to open their eyes. Sesshoumaru did so, nearly smirking at Kagome's livid face.

"Did we peek?" he asked innocently. Kagome huffed, but said nothing as Sesshoumaru set her on her feet. He swept her up an instant later, dismissing Ah with a thank you as he carried her back to her bed. He dried her swiftly, too swiftly for him and not swift enough for Kagome as he reached inside the closet for another blanket.

Sesshoumaru draped this one over her as well, then reached under it and jerked the towel free. Kagome gasped in surprise.

"What?" she said at his amusement. "I've never had a guy dress me before. It takes a while to get used to."

"I'm sure it does."

"Ooooo…." Kagome growled, wishing she could cross her arms over her chest as Sesshoumaru dug around the armoire. "I'm sure it wouldn't be so easy for you if our roles were reversed."

"I don't know," Sesshoumaru said, his head inside the armoire. "A pretty girl, bathing me and dressing me. Not to mention drying me off." He sighed and closed the doors moments later, moving to the drawers below them. "I don't know. I think I'd rather enjoy it."

"You would, you hentai," Kagome muttered, blushing furiously. 'What is it about this guy that makes me do that?' Kagome asked herself as Sesshoumaru continued to search.

Sesshoumaru finally gave up, standing straight and looking at Kagome irritably. "Where are your underwear."

"Oh no!" Kagome started, shaking her head. "No, no, no, no, no! You are NOT putting my underwear on for me!"

"So you want to sleep nude…"

Kagome blushed yet again. 'That's what does it. His mouth…' "No! And so what if I do?"

"Then perhaps tonight would be a good night to share a bed." He smiled at her, his hands held up innocently. "I'm kidding. If you won't tell me…" He moved toward the door that connected their rooms, disappearing behind it. He appeared moments later, a gunmetal gray silk shirt in his hands. He reached under the blanket, slipping her arms inside it and assuring himself that anything interest was covered before moving the blanket aside.

Sesshoumaru buttoned the shirt up, ignoring her startled gasp as he did so. He picked her up with one arm, the other arm sweeping the covers back effortlessly. He tucked her in as he did a few weeks ago, pulling the blankets up to her chest and placing another kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight Kagome."

Kagome smiled back, her eyes sliding closed. "Goodnight Takamada."

Sesshoumaru smiled as she drifted off, but was once again plagued with the way she addressed him. 'Hmmm….this is not good. How can I expect her to fall in love with me if she doesn't feel close to me?' He retired to his room, taking a quick shower before trudging to his study. 'How to address the issue is beyond me at the moment, but only for the moment.' Sesshoumaru turned on his computer and reached for one of the numerous stacks of paper on his desk, resuming the work he'd left before dinner.

/2:03 am, Sesshoumaru's Study /

Sesshoumaru rubbed his eyes with his forefinger and thumb, hours of staring at the screen straining even his youkai vision. He sighed, reaching forward to turn the screen off before standing up and leaving the room. He traversed to the kitchen, digging around for something to snack on. When he found none, he sighed and left, making his way upstairs.

He paused at Kagome's room, hearing a small whimpering from inside. He tried the door, but it was locked from the inside. 'I did do that, didn't I?' Sesshoumaru remembered. He opened his door then the door connecting their rooms, stopping in the threshold. The scent of fear and arousal smacked him square in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. Sesshoumaru kneeled, his breaths labored as Kagome whimpered again.

"No…please…don't…"

Sesshoumaru stood on this, the pain laced in her voice moving him forward. He stumbled to her bedside, her scent making it difficult to focus.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Kagome sobbed, her head twisting painfully to the side as she whimpered again. Sesshoumaru threw the covers back, shirking off everything but his pants before lying beside her. He covered them both, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.

'She said that I make this easier for her,' Sesshoumaru remembered as Kagome sobbed into his chest. 'Let's just see if that's the truth.'

Sure enough, moments later she relaxed, the fear in her scent receding considerably. Sesshoumaru ran gentle fingers through her hair, whispering gentle encouragement in her ear as she curled up against him.

Kagome opened her eyes, sleep-fogged that they were as she stared into his.

"Mr. Takamada?"

"Yes?"

She sniffed brokenly, the sound tugging on Sesshoumaru's heart. "Do you think I'm weak?"  
  
Sesshoumaru shook his head, regretting allowing those words to slip past his lips. "I do not Kagome. You are strong."

Kagome sniffed again as she closed her eyes, her head resting on his shoulder. "He…does…"

"He who?"

But Sesshoumaru was answered with only silence. He looked down, finding Kagome peacefully sleeping. He brushed his thumb against her cheeks, wiping away her tears as a frown creased his brow. 'Who is this he, and how dare he try to make this Sesshoumaru a liar!' Sesshoumaru snarled, his fangs protruding from his lips. Kagome whimpered again, snuggling closer to him in an effort to escape the tension Sesshoumaru created. He kissed her forehead again, his eyes glowing a fierce gold as he stared into the darkness around them.

'You are not weak Kagome because I say so. Damn to hell anyone who thinks different!' Sesshoumaru thought vehemently, not questioning the protectiveness of his nature. Hands became claws at the thought, though they continued their passage through Kagome's hair.

"No one dares harm what is mine…" he growled, the rumbling vibrating from his chest to Kagome's. She shifted again, throwing a leg over his waist, again seeking comfort and safety in his embrace. Sesshoumaru, remembering exactly what she was clad in, instantly calmed, blushing slightly at the suggestiveness of it all…

And once again, a piece of ice fell from the glacier surrounding his heart, revealing a flash of red…


	21. Closer to You

{Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.}

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-One: Closer to You

No…

Not today….

Can't I just have one night without this stupid dream?

Why do I keep having it?

Does it mean anything?

sigh

Does it make a difference if it does or not?

I should just lay here until morning, but it's useless. Whether I like it or not, this will continue without me.

I stand up, looking at the meadow before me. Same meadow, same trees, same pond, and same stars. Nothing's changed.

I walk toward the pond, my steps weary and slow as I stop by the edge. I look at my reflection in the water and it's the same too. Me, dressed in ancient miko robes, staring back at myself. My face is already stained with tears. No different.

SSDD, right Duddits?

Never were truer words spoken.

I turn, hearing rustling from one of the trees behind me. A flash of white in the branches, but otherwise nothing.

If only it would be nothing.

I turn back around and like always he's standing there, on a boulder in the middle of the pond. His back is to me, his hair flying in the wind.

How can a guy stand to have so much hair? If mine were to my calves, I'd cut it myself!

And it's prettier than mine too. It's not fair.

He turns to me, as if he can hear my thoughts. Yup, it's him alright. The same dark blue crescent in the middle of his forehead, the same golden eyes, and the same magenta stripes on his cheeks.

Hey, isn't there a dog on Blue's Clues named Magenta?

He smiles.

Why does he have to be so godforsaken gorgeous? This has to be the way my ancestors felt when they first met him.

sigh

I'm sure they're thrilled at my progress with him.

I can see at least a few of them spinning in their graves.

He's gone a second later. Why won't he split for good?

An arm pulls me backward and like always I'm caught unaware. I've tried anticipating his moves, but he just won't be predictable.

Perhaps he hasn't been told that this is my dream, not his….

His hand tilts my head backward to rest on his shoulder, his other arm wraps around my waist.

"Good day Lady Miko. How are you?"

Did I mention he's polite?

He chuckles, a deep velvety sound that always takes my breath away. "It is impolite to stare."

And a jackass too?

"No matter. I like humans to be seen and not heard."

I could punch him square in the face. I can see it now, the mikos he melted eons ago cheering as I blacked his eye. That would be so great…

If I could bring myself to move, which I can't. He knows it too. "I don't like a lot of fight in them either. You're perfect." He nuzzles my neck, something that sends a warm fuzzy fog to my brain. I stare ahead weakly.

I can't escape this.

But does he have to be so damned _sexy _about it?

He turns me around to face him, his arms around me again as he kisses me. Nothing earth shattering or deep, just enough to get my attention.

"You will help me, little miko," he whispers against my lips. The shockwaves to my brain afterward are enough to sink California. He kisses me again, and my entire world wraps around him.

Why does he have to be such a good kisser? And what did I do to deserve this?

Maybe I kicked a dog in a past life. That would explain a couple of things…

He pulls away from me, his eyes sparkling golden disks of amusement. Did I tell you that he likes to laugh at me? Well, he does, and by the looks of things something is really funny.

"Are you training?" he asks as he picks me up like a child and carries me toward a grassy spot away from the water. I nod shyly.

Don't ask me why, I just do!

"Is it difficult?" He stretches me out as I nod again, knowing exactly what's coming next.

"Have you reached you're Limit Break?" He kneels beside me, one clawed finger tracing my face. I shake my head.

It's the truth! I'm not about to lie to a dream man! How sick is that?!

"You disappoint me miko." If I'm so damned disappointing, why is he kissing me?

Perhaps Sango is right…I do need to get laid.

What was I talking about again?

Oh yeah…

He sits up, his hips pressed to mine as he stares me down. "I love you," I tell him. He smiles knowingly, his fangs flashing in the moonlight.

"That's the plan."

He's jerked away from me then, reaching out for me before disappearing into the heavens. I stagger to my feet, quickly checking for any sign of him.

Then I hear it…

The rustling, but I know it's not him.

I run through the woods, my shoes long forgotten as I try to outrun the creatures chasing me from the darkness around me. I can't see them, but I know they're there.

Oh God…

One nearly catches me, it's teeth mere inches from my leg. Somehow I escape it, only to keep running.

Oh God…

I can hear them, their teeth grinding together like rusted metal. They're claws tear into the wood around me, clouds of splinters shooting up into the air and into my lungs. I cough, but I can't stop. I'm crying now, and I can hear him on the breeze.

__

"You are too weak to help me..."

"No! Wait! Please don't leave me!" Tears are blurring my vision, but his voice leads me forward.

__

"You're not training hard enough…"

"What am I supposed to do? Tell me!" I know I'm begging now, but I can't think straight. The creatures are closer, breathing down my neck as I keep running.

Keep running Kagome. Keep running….

I crash head-long into a force field, it circling around me as I fall to my knees. I look up to find him, sealed inside a green glass cylinder. Tubes stem from every limb, and a breathing mask is over his mouth. He looks at me, blinking as he withers away before my eyes.

__

"Get stronger…"

I nod, weeping fully now as the creatures bang on my shelter. "I will. Just don't leave me."

He looks down at me sadly. Deep wrinkles make canyons across his skin, his once bright eyes dimmed with age.

__

"Don't fail me. If you do…"

The glass shatters as a spear stabs through his chest, piercing his heart. I scream as he falls, his eyes locked onto mine as the creatures grab him and shred him to pieces.

Then they look at me…

And the shield protecting me falls…

Is it no wonder I wake up screaming?

Today is no different…with one exception.

In my hands, from where I tried to grab him, is a gold and blue sash…

A _familiar _gold and blue sash…

My God, what's happening to me?

__

/Saturday, 6:05 pm, the Attic/

Sesshoumaru sighed, sitting back and surveying a new drawing. "Perfect," he purred in satisfaction. "Just perfect. She will love this."

He stood up, covered the easel, and walked down the stairs to the second floor. He washed his hands in his bathroom, watching the black charcoal swirl down the drain before drying his hands. "What to do now?" he wondered as he left the room. 'The cook is off, so I guess I'd better fix something up. I wonder if Kagome is hungry…'

Sesshoumaru sniffed the hallway for her trail, remembering that he hadn't seen her all day. 'I wonder where she is. ' He followed the scent to her room, the smell of her heat floating among her normal scents. Sesshoumaru inhaled deeply, following the trail down the steps to the kitchen, where it was joined by Ah and Un. He stopped at the door, watching the occupants curiously.

Ah and Un were huddled over something, hugging it and whispering something even he couldn't hear. Sesshoumaru cleared his throat as he stepped into the room, smiling as Ah and Un sprang apart…

Only to frown as the salty scent of tears assaulted his nose.

What the two were huddled over was Kagome, who sat at the breakfast bar with her head in her arms. Sesshoumaru couldn't see her face, but knew she was crying from the way her shoulders shook. She looked broken, fragile, and wounded, and she held onto a scrap of cloth for dear life.

Sesshoumaru sat down beside her as Ah and Un left the room, reaching over to tap Kagome's arm. "Kagome? Are you alright?"

Kagome looked up, then sat up as she dried her face. "I've got you too huh?"

"Excuse me?"

"Ah and Un caught me in here, and now you."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "This is my house."

Kagome gave a ghost of a laugh, shaking her head as she clutched the cloth tighter. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry. Now what's wrong?"

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, then closed it as her bottom lip began to tremble. Sesshoumaru watched as she struggled, then pulled her into his lap when she began to cry.

'Damn her heat! Something is _wrong_!'

"Shhhh…" he whispered, rocking her back and forth gently. "It's ok. Go ahead and cry." Sesshoumaru soon learned something as she wept on his shoulder; he couldn't stand to see her cry. 'Not like this. Even when Kenji attacked her, she still held some spirit, some fire. It's like something's draining the life out of her.'

Sesshoumaru waited until she quieted, her sobs becoming hiccups against his chest. "I'm so sorry Mr. Takamada."

"I believe I can forgive, if you can do two things?"

Kagome sniffed, her nose slightly red as she whispered "Anything."

"First, don't be so formal around me. I'm your friend, right?"

Kagome nodded. "I don't remember you're first name. That's why I call you by your last."

Sesshoumaru chuckled. 'I should have guessed that would be the reason.' Sesshoumaru reached for her hand and shook it. "I'm Sesshoumaru."

Kagome smiled weakly, shaking it back even as a chill crept up her spine. "Kagome."

"My pleasure. Now why are you cryi-"

"You're going to think I'm nuts, so don't ask," she told him. Sesshoumaru blinked, not used to being interrupted.

"But Kagome, I'm only concerned. It's not everyday I find someone crying in my kitchen. Plus it's you, which makes it that much more urgent. Now please." He reached inside his pocket for a handkerchief, softly tweaking her nose as he gave it to her. "You know I don't say please often, but I'd like to know what you dream about. Anything that reduces you to tears must be hell indeed-" Her stomach growled, interrupting him yet again.

Sesshoumaru smiled at Kagome's blush, brushing her hair away from her face. "But first, I think that monster needs to be fed."

Kagome giggled, nodding in agreement as Sesshoumaru returned her to her chair. "I'm cooking today, so I hope you don't have a preference."

"You can cook?" she asked doubtfully. Sesshoumaru playfully glared at her from over his shoulder. "Of course. Is there anything I can't do?"

"I'm starting to wonder," Kagome replied as Sesshoumaru reached inside the refrigerator and pulled out three metal bowls. "What's that?"

"It's the starter for my stir-fry." He set the bowls on a tray, reaching inside the refrigerator again for another bowl and a cabinet for three small wooden ones. "You carry the tray." Sesshoumaru said as he reached inside a lower cabinet.

Kagome stood up and did as he said, scowling as she did so. "What are you going to carry? It's not gentleman like to let the lady carry everything."

"One," Sesshoumaru said, his entire head in a cabinet. "I never said I was a gentleman. Two," he appeared moments later, carrying a wok that resembled a giant sombrero. "I'm carrying the heavy stuff." He grabbed a portable burner from a drawer and lead the way to the patio outside.

Kagome watched the sun set as Sesshoumaru set the wok up. She turned around as Sesshoumaru grabbed a pair of tongs and stood around it.

"You pass me the bowls and tell me what's on your mind. Can you do that at the same time?"

Kagome smiled, shaking her head at his obvious plot to cheer her up by getting on her nerves. "Yeah, I can. Can you?"

Sesshoumaru grinned back, giving her a sly wink. "I can do many things at one time." He was glad to see the blush that stained her cheeks and the spark in her eye as she thought of a way to answer him. "You are getting off the subject Kagome. Start talking. Oh, and pass the bowl with the chicken."

"Has anyone told you that you were a jackass, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome quirked as she passed him the bowl.

"Only Inuyasha. You test my patience."

Kagome sighed. "Fine. It's about time I told somebody anyway." She recounted all, from six months ago when the dreams began to last night. She whimpered slightly when she finished, expecting for anything from Sesshoumaru.

"You say it is a he," Sesshoumaru said as he tossed a bowl of vegetables into the wok. "But you do not know his name."

Kagome shook her head. "No. I know it sounds funny, but all I can remember are the marks on his face."

"Marks?"

Kagome nodded, looking at her hands as Sesshoumaru looked at her. "Yeah. That and that he's an inu taiyoukai."

Sesshoumaru stopped mid flip, the wok and dinner forgotten. 'An…_inu_ taiyoukai? Could she mean…' "What kind of marks? And what of his face do you remember?"

"He has this crescent moon on his forehead, and stripes on his cheeks. It's the taiyoukai I told you about. The one Sango and I were so afraid of." She began to cry again, her hands over her face as she sobbed. "I don't know what's wrong with me! Why am I dreaming about him?"

Sesshoumaru paused, his mind digesting the fact that _he_ was the one she dreamed of, the reason for the broken-hearted tears. 'I can't tell her that though. If she finds out that I'm a youkai period she might purify me, plus it will hinder my plans.' He set the wok on the cold stone and walked over to her. He stood her up, holding her as he attempted to soothe her. "It's just a dream," he whispered. "Nothing more. You yourself said he can't be real."

Kagome hiccupped before handing him the cloth. "If it's a dream, then what am I doing with this?"

Sesshoumaru took it, instantly recognizing it for the old sash that went with his gi. 'What in the world?' "Kagome, where did you get this?"

"I woke up this morning with it in my hands!"

Sesshoumaru sighed and sat down, pulling Kagome in his lap as he dried her tears. "Look, I don't have the answers for this. I'm new to the whole magic idea, but perhaps you brought this over."

Kagome sniffed, her head resting on his shoulder and her arms wrapped around his waist. "I don't understand."

"You're a miko right? But you haven't used your powers in a good many years. What if your powers are running ahead of your training and bringing stuff out of your dreams? You told me that you used to be able to pull anything out of thin air. Perhaps this is one of those cases."

"Do you think so Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. He couldn't figure out why it hurt him physically to hear her like this, to see her so upset and so scared. He felt helpless to stop it. "I think so. Now that you've talked about it, I bet it won't be as scary anymore."  
  
Kagome looked up at him, hope and innocence shining in her eyes. "Really?"

Sesshoumaru tapped her nose, then smiled. "Really."

"OK then!" she chirped as she hugged him, instantly in a better mood. "Oh, and" she glanced down at her lap, her hands wringing slightly. "Thanks."

"Thank you for telling me. Now, get off me so I can finish."

Kagome did as he asked, scowling as she did. "No one told you to make me sit on your lap."

Sesshoumaru glanced at her as he shook the wok, a knowing smile on his face. "And no one told you to stay there."

"You're a jackass Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru smiled secretly, liking how his name sounded from her lips. "This you have said. Now come here."

Kagome came to his side hesitantly, watching him as he grabbed a wooden spoon and scooped some food from the wok. "Eat this." He frowned at Kagome's hesitation, thinking it was from the food itself until she glanced at the spoon. 'Oh yes, humans have a thing about hot food,' Sesshoumaru reminded himself. He gently blew over the spoon, cooling the contents before presenting it to Kagome again. This time she took a bite, smiling when she finished.

"Not bad," she said as she swallowed. "Not bad at all. Perhaps you can cook."

__

/Tuesday, 8:45 pm, the Indoor Pool/

Sesshoumaru sat at the edge of the pool, watching Kagome as she swam her laps. 'She always reminds me of the water nymphs,' he mused as he secretly sketched her. 'Or perhaps the mermaids sailors claimed to see in the early 12th century. Especially in that lime green bathing suit. I like her corduroy one better, but it was a necessary sacrifice.' He studied how she moved, her arms to her sides with her closed legs propelling her forward.

Sesshoumaru stood up and went back to his chair, tucking the sketchpad under his seat and picking up the book he was supposed to be reading. 'She's a lot calmer since Saturday,' he realized. 'The dreams aren't as persistent, nor are they as disturbing.' Sesshoumaru smirked. 'And we seem to be getting closer. This won't take long at all.'

The top of Kagome's head surfaced unseen, she watching him as Sesshoumaru seemed to read. 'I wonder what he's thinking about.' She smiled when he did, then plunged under and continued her swimming. 'He's so different than what we were told. It's like, to the outside world he's cold and calculating, but with me he's so warm.' Kagome nearly snorted at this, but rolled her eyes instead. 'Of course he's nice to me. I'm the only person keeping him alive now. But still…what would it be like to be closer to him….'

She shook her head then, touching the pool bottom and turning toward the surface. 'That's impossible. He and I are nothing alike…well, we do seem to share the same twisted sense of humor…and he is attractive…but that's it. Nothing else.' She surfaced again, taking a deep breath before swimming to the side of the pool.

'What would be bad about being his friend though? I've already told him that I am.' She nodded to herself as she hoisted herself up. 'Yup. That's what we'll be. That and nothing more.'

Sesshoumaru came out of his musings when Kagome sat on the edge of the pool. She turned and smiled, waving at him.

"How's the book Sesshoumaru?" she asked as she grabbed a towel from the chair beside him.

"It's fine Kagome."

She nodded, drying herself and leaning over to check on her laptop connection. 'Sango should call any minute now,' she reminded herself. She turned to Sesshoumaru, her eyes sparkling suddenly. "Are you sure?"

Sesshoumaru looked at her curiously, then nodded. "Yes, why?"

Kagome took the book out of his hands, turning it before handing it back to him. "Because it's upside down."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow as Kagome giggled. "So it is."  
  
"If you're so interested in the pool," Kagome started as she sat on the edge of his chair. "Why not swim with me?"

"I don't think so."

"Awwww…." Kagome pouted. "Why not?" She took the book away from him, then tossed his shoe over his head.

"What are you doing?"

"Influencing you," Kagome replied as his other shoe sailed away. "Please? Come swimming with me. You never do."

"I don't swim."

"But you can swim."

Sesshoumaru sighed. Kagome seemed determined to have her way today, but Sesshoumaru wasn't in the mood to relent. "I can, but I don't unless I have to. I'm not swimming Kagome."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?" she tried again as she stood up.

"No."

"Please?" She moved to his side, the book still in her hands as she looked down at him.

"No."

"Alright then. But you asked for this." In an instant Sesshoumaru's jacket was off his shoulders and in her hands. Sesshoumaru stood as she backed away, a smile widening on her face.

"Give that back."

"No. Don't you ever wear anything other than suits?"

"No, now give that back."

Kagome looked down at the chocolate brown piece in her hands, then shook her head. "I don't think I can help you Sesshoumaru."

"Kagome…" he warned, walking closer to her. He nearly smirked when she stopped, but his eyes narrowed when she waved the jacket in front of her like a cape.

"Toro, Toro!" she said teasingly. "Come on Sesshoumaru, come get your licks! Toro!"

Sesshoumaru smirked this time, crouching down and glaring at her as he played along. He pawed the floor, snorting slightly as he reached out for her.

"Sesshoumaru…what are you-Oh shit!" In a dash she was off, with Sesshoumaru in hot pursuit.

_/Jacksonville, Fla/_

Sango set her laptop on the coffee table, connecting her glasses to it as she called Miroku. "Come on! You're going to be late!"

"What are you guys doing?" Inuyasha asked as he came into the room.

"It's time for our staff meeting," Sango told him as Miroku sat down on the couch beside her. Inuyasha sat down on the other side. "Hey, can I stay too?"

"Sure. Why not? I'm sure Kagome won't mind." Sango tapped the connection, waiting patiently with the others as a picture materialized on screen. It was a pool of some sorts, inside, with plants on the poolside.

"Where is this?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha peered closer to the screen. "It's Sesshoumaru's indoor pool."

"Then Kagome must be there," Sango concluded as she and the others looked around. "But were is she?"

A growl came from off screen, freezing everyone in place. "Do you think she's ok?" Miroku asked as the others paled. Giggling came moments later, then a flash of green streaked past the screen.

"What on earth…"

A dark streak passed moments later, growling as the giggling continued. Miroku scratched his head in confusion. "I'm not getting something. Giggling is good, but growling is bad right? Then why are the two together?"

"Shhhh!" Inuyasha hissed as he pointed to the screen. "Look!"

The green stopped on the far side of the pool, finally revealing itself to be Kagome. She waved a brown jacket in her hands as the dark streak, now known as Sesshoumaru, stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Toro Sesshoumaru! Come get me if you dare!"

Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha blinked in astonishment when Kagome took off again, finally registering the giggling as Kagome's laughter and the growling as Sesshoumaru.

"What on earth is going on?" Sango muttered as a smile cracked on Miroku's face. Kagome ran past the camera moments later, with Sesshoumaru closing in on her.

"Come on old man!" Kagome taunted as she ran across the other side. "You're getting slow!"

"He's not going to like that," Inuyasha muttered, still in a state of shock.

Kagome ran past them again, but Sesshoumaru stopped and turned back the way he came. Kagome appeared on the other side, looking behind her as she continued to run. "Where is-ow!"

She and Sesshoumaru slammed into each other, falling to the tile below with a thud. Miroku covered his mouth to keep from laughing as Sango gasped. "Do you think they're alright?" she asked as she stared at the jacket-covered lump on the floor. Inuyasha shrugged as Miroku struggled to keep under control.

Kagome's head appeared from the lump, followed by Sesshoumaru as she tossed the jacket aside. "Did you have to do that?" she asked as she glared down at him. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "It seems to have worked."

"You cheated."

"I did not. It's not my fault I'm smarter than you."

"Ooooo!" Kagome playfully punched him in the chest, nudging him in the side with her knee as Sesshoumaru tried to roll over. "Stop that! I'm going to fall if you keep it up."

"Oh, then I should stop," Sesshoumaru replied as he grasped her waist. "I like you where you are."

"I bet yo-"

Thunderous laughter suddenly erupted around them. They both turned to look at the laptop, where Miroku was trying to pry Sango off Inuyasha, who suddenly couldn't stand it any longer.

"Toro! Toro!" he gasped between laughs as Sango whapped him upside the head repeatedly. "Oh God! Did you guys record that? I want a copy!"

"You _jerk_!" Sango hissed as she hit him again. "How could you?"

Kagome's face appeared in the laptop moments later, a dark blush staining her cheeks. "Hi guys…"

"Hi yourself Kagome," Miroku said more to her cleavage than her. "How are you?"

"How much of that did you see?"

"Enough." Sango said as she whapped Inuyasha one last time before kicking him and leaving him on the floor. "So that's what you've been doing?"

"Tor-haha! Toro!"

Kagome groaned as Sango kicked Inuyasha again, an oomph coming from him before the laughter continued ten fold. "Oh God…I'm going to get picked on forever."

"Is that Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked as he appeared in the screen. He smirked when Miroku hit him this time, then smiled back at Sesshoumaru. "It's time for our report Mr. Takamada. How is everything?"

"Eventless," Sesshoumaru said dryly as he wrapped an arm around Kagome's waist. He pulled her closer to him, then rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I see," Sango said as Kagome swatted at him. "Any news?"

"None so far-stop that!" Kagome chastised when Sesshoumaru brushed her hair aside and nuzzled her neck. "Would you quit? I'm trying to do something!"

"And I'm trying to do something."

"Fucking pervert," Kagome grumbled as Sango's mouth dropped open. "Don't even start that," Kagome scowled. "He's not trying to do anything but aggravate me, right Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru stopped, finally looking at Sango. "Do you want to hear the truth?"

"Yeah…"  
  
"Kagome and I are madly in love, and have done nothing but perverted things to each other since your last meeting."

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome nearly shouted as she tried to shove him away. Inuyasha's laughing fit came back, joined by both Miroku and Sango as Kagome blushed furiously. "I really hate you, you know that!"

Sesshoumaru placed a hand on her hip, fully expecting her to toss it aside. "Now Kagome," he purred as he hugged her. "Don't be embarrassed. I'm sure they understand."

"Yeah, we understand," Miroku gasped. Kagome scowled, again trying to get Sesshoumaru off her. "Miroku…"

"No, we do," he said as Sango finally sat back on the couch. "We know Mr. Takamada's only playing."

"Good." Kagome crossed her arms and frowned, then gasped as Miroku's nose started to bleed. "Miroku, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Miroku told her, still staring straight ahead. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you're nose is bleeding. Why is it bleeding?"

Miroku cleared his throat, casting a nervous glance to Sango. "Well, Kagome. Mr. Takamada seems to have a tight grip on you…"

"Yeah."  
  
"Making certain _assets_ more noticeable."

"Say what?" Inuyasha chirped, shoving Sango to the side. "I want to see!"

Kagome glanced down, realized they were staring at her cleavage, then groaned and turned toward Sesshoumaru, glaring over her shoulder at them. "You guys are a bunch of perverts!"

"But Kagome, it was right-"

Thunk!

"I'm telling Katrina," Sango said to Inuyasha as she clicked his and Miroku's heads together. She shoved them both off the couch, then turned to Kagome. "Because this meeting is a total bust, we'll try again later…_without the men_."

"I totally agree. Kagome out!"

"Sango out!" Sango disconnected, then turned to the groaning men under her feet. "Shame on the both of you! They might have kissed if you-" pointing to Inuyasha "Hadn't started laughing."

"I couldn't help it!" 'Plus, Fluffy was only playing with her,' Inuyasha mused as he sat up and rubbed the knot on the side of his head. 'He likes her, she likes him but the both of them are too stupid to realize it. Now who could I get to help me with this? It has to be someone that knows Fluff and Stuff better than I do."

He smiled, a pretty young woman with brown hair coming to mind. 'Perfect,' he thought with an evil grin. 'Just perfect…'

__

/Monday, 2:30 am. Boston, Mass./

Ring!

"What the…" Rin grumbled, struggling to figure out what that sound was.

Ring!

She groaned, fumbling for the lamp by her bedside as she reached for the phone. "If this isn't Keanu Reeves, you're so hung up on."

She sat up suddenly, a happy smile on her face. "Uncle Yasha! Hi! How are you?" Rin swung her legs over the side of the bed, grimacing as her feet hit the cold floor. "Yeah, I'm good. What can I do for you?"

She nodded, kneeling down by the side of the bed and peering under it. "Yeah, I know her." She reached into the darkness, fumbling for a bunny slipper as she nodded again. "Really? He does? They do? Well what does that have to do with me?"

She grimaced again, holding the phone away from her ear as shouting came from the other end. "Alright, alright," Rin grumbled as she stumbled into the rest of the apartment. "No, I agree with you. Yes, I already have a plan. But what are you willing to do to get it?"

She smiled as she flicked the kitchen light on. "Oh, I can think of something," she replied as she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk. "When's the next time you're going to Egypt?" Rin frowned, shoving her hair behind her ear as she poured a glass.

"That far away huh? Well, I want this little jade figurine of Anut." She gasped, thumping the carton on the counter as she glared at the phone. "You don't know who Anut is? It's the youngest daughter of Ra! I'm surprised Uncle Yasha!"

An evil grin flashed across her face then. "You know, for a youkai, you're pretty dumb."

More yelling from the other end, this time with a couple of "You don't think Sesshoumaru tells me that"s and a few "I'm going to hurt you"s thrown in for good measure. Rin shook her head. "I'm just playing. You know I love you Uncle Yasha."

She put the carton back into the refrigerator, then headed back to her room. "Yes, for you I'll do it. I think it's time he got a mate too. No Uncle Yasha, I won't tell him you put me up to it. Of course. I've gotta go."

Rin sat down on the bed, reaching inside the nightstand for her appointment book. "Don't forget about my statuette. Bye!"

Rin hung up, then flipped through the pages to the right day. 'Yup, this is perfect,' Rin mused as she pointed to a date and time. 'Uncle Yasha will be so proud.'


	22. Rin’s Plans of Negotiation…

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends. On, and the song in the chapter is Celine Dion's 'Seduces Me'.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Two: Rin's Plans of Negotiation…

/Tuesday, 7:04 pm Boston Mass./

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Sesshoumaru blinked, then looked around him. 'What on earth was that?' He looked around for a couple of minutes more, then returned to his finance reports.

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Poof!

Shriek! (giggle)

Sesshoumaru, his curiosity piqued, finally left the report and his study. He followed the giggles to the kitchen, where he found Rin and Kagome covered in flour. They were both trying to put the lid back on the blender, which was spinning its contents out to the room around it.

"Ah! Kagome, make it stop!"

"I'm trying, but I can't see!"

Whirrrrrrrr!

Sesshoumaru watched the madness around him, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he watched the two of them. He reached over and unplugged the blender, then leaned against the counter and waited for them to notice him.

Kagome stumbled to him, her eyes closed as her hands searched for something to wipe the flour off her face. Rin managed to grasp a paper towel from a rack behind her, and was offering Kagome one when Sesshoumaru intervened.

"And just what are you two doing?" he asked as he pulled Kagome to him. She followed compliantly, her eyes still closed as a sheepish smile graced her features.

"I wanted to make you something," Kagome began as Sesshoumaru wrapped an arm around her waist. "So I decided to make some cookies. Rin stopped by," Rin smiled as Sesshoumaru gently wiped Kagome's face clean, a knowing smile on his face. "And told me that you were allergic to chocolate."

"I am?"

"Sure you are Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin chirped, waving to get his attention. "Remember your condition?"

"Condition?"

Kagome blinked, then glanced up at him. "Rin said you were allergic. Something about chocolate being the same as rat poison."

Rin silently barked behind her, then pointed at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru nodded in realization. "Yes. I am. Thank you Rin."

"No problem Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Anyway, she said white chocolate would be fine, so that's what we were trying to do when the blender exploded."

"I see." Sesshoumaru nodded, observing the floury mess the two managed to make of his once immaculate kitchen. Black granite counters where now covered with a dusty film, and he could trace his name in the flour covering the cabinet doors. He shook his head at the two of them. "Though the gesture is appreciated, it was unnecessary."

"No it wasn't," Kagome told him as she stepped out of his arms. "I told you I would give you something."

"You have. A giant mess."

Kagome huffed irritably. "Then show me where the broom is and I'll clean it up."

"Now now," Sesshoumaru cajoled as he pulled her back to him. "No need to be testy. I was merely joking."

"Hm! Whatever! I still plan to clean this up!"

Rin smiled as she watched the two of them, silently agreeing with Inuyasha. 'Uncle Yasha's right. They do love each other. But he never said how _dumb_ they were in realizing it. They do need help.' "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Yes Rin?" Sesshoumaru finally let go of Kagome's waist, watching her as she started to wipe off the cabinets.

"I'm not here on a cordial visit."

"Really?" Kagome said over her shoulder. "I didn't mean to get in the way of business."

"No problem. I needed you to hear this too."

"Alright then." Kagome set the towel down and sat at the bar across from Rin. "Shoot."

"There's this costume ball set for this Friday. It's a fundraiser for leukemia research and therapy."

"I know of this. We have already donated."

"I know Sesshoumaru-sama, but there is a slight catch."

"What's that?" Kagome asked.

"Those who donate must attend, and since the donation is under your name Sesshoumaru-sama-"

"That means you have to go," Kagome concluded, frowning at the displeasure on his face. "What's wrong?"

"I do not desire to attend this. When did you receive this information?"

Rin shrugged. "Just a couple of days ago. I thought for sure you'd want to go."

"I do not."

"What about you Kagome?"

Kagome thought a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know. I think a costume party would be fun."

Sesshoumaru huffed irritably, folding his arms as he leaned against the counter beside Kagome. "I don't."

"Why not?" Kagome asked. "Don't tell me you're afraid of crowds."

"I fear nothing. I just don't like being around so many people."

"But it's for a good cause." Kagome turned pleading eyes to him, her hand resting on his arm. "Please? I think you'd have fun."

"Me too Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin agreed, resting her hand on the other arm. "Why not?"

Sesshoumaru glanced from one female to the other, then relented. "Fine. I will go, but what of a costume?"

"We can get one of those tomorrow!" Kagome chirped. "Besides, if all fails we could try to find some clothes in the attic."

"That is not necessary," Sesshoumaru replied as Ah and Un came into the room. They glanced around wide eyed, then smiled knowingly at Rin and Kagome.

"Lady Rin, when did you arrive?" Ah asked as he and Un enfolded her in a hug. Rin giggled between them. "You two always give the best hugs. I got here earlier."

"Are you and Lady Kagome-"  
  
"Ahem!"

"Kagome," Ah corrected himself "responsible for this?"

Rin nodded guiltily. "Yeah, this is us. We'll clean it up."

"No such thing," Un said as he pulled the broom out of a corner. "Never mind this. Ah and I will handle it."

"That's right," Ah said as he escorted Rin, Kagome and Sesshoumaru out of the kitchen. "We will have this clean in a jiff, and see about the blender while we're at it. You'll be able to try your cookies again in a few minutes Kagome."

"Thanks you guys," Rin said before they walked to the front door. "Aren't they great? Hey Kagome, would you walk me to my car? There's some things I need to brief you on for the ball."

"Sure." Kagome waited for Rin to bid Sesshoumaru goodbye, then followed her to her car. "Wow, that's nice!" she commented as Rin tossed her purse inside the red sports car. "What's its model?"

"It's a '98 Civic. I love those cars! Uncle Yasha gave me this as a birthday present."

"How nice of him!"

"Yeah, Uncle Yasha's like that. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Kagome watched as Rin opened the passenger side door, then took a seat as Rin slid over to the driver's seat. Rin sighed as she closed her door, then turned and looked at Kagome.

"I'm protective of my Sesshoumaru-sama, did you know that?"

"Huh?" Kagome stammered. "What do you mean?"

"Since I've known him, every woman in his company has tried to fool him into marrying her by pretending to be something they aren't." She leaned back as Kagome stared at her. "I've seen a lot of giggly, silly, over-painted women, but you-"

Rin smiled, then shook her head. "I can't figure you out."

"There's nothing to figure out. I just want to protect him."

Rin quirked a brow and nodded. "Sure. That's what you hide behind. That's what he hides behind. But I know different. You want to hear how we met?"

Kagome blinked, surprised by the change of subject. "Yeah, I guess so…"

Rin sighed, closing her eyes again as she recounted her life. "Well, I don't remember a lot about my parents. All I remember is the orphanage outside of New York. It was run by a group of nuns. The sisters were nice and all, but I didn't want to be there. I wanted real parents. I would always run away. It drove them nuts, but they always searched for me.

"Well, one day I ran completely away. I somehow found myself in the middle of Manhattan. I still don't know what led me there. I want to call it divine intervention but you're a miko. Is that possible?"

Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. It depends."

Rin looked at her, her brown eyes shining and bright before she turned away. "Anyway, I walked down somewhere I shouldn't and ended up surrounded by some group of thugs. I couldn't scream, I couldn't do anything but watch as they cornered me in this alley. They beat me up pretty good.

"I remember the leader standing over me as the others kicked me. 'You die today little girl,' he said. He pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and picked me up. I knew no one would see in time, that no one would stop him. I could hear his buddies laughing their heads off, like it was some kind of joke at the matinee or something. I remember feeling helpless, but I still couldn't say anything. I closed my eyes because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

"I knew right then that I was going to die."

Rin smiled then, a single tear streaking down her face as she looked toward the driveway. "Then the guy just drops me like that. I could hear grunts, growls and all kinds of noise. I didn't know what was going on, so I kept my eyes closed and curled up into a ball.

"Then it stopped, and all went quiet. I heard footsteps coming toward me, and instead of stepping over me like I thought they would they stopped beside me. I opened my eyes to an angel.

Kagome watched as another tear fell, wanting to reach over and comfort her but feeling as if she wasn't wanted. "So what does a little kid do when they see an angel for the first time?" Rin laughed at herself, shaking her head as she wiped a tear away. "All I could do was stare. I know I looked stupid, but that's all I could do. He reached out for me, and I remember staring at his hands. They were so clean, and I'd been on the street for at least a good week. I was filthy, plus I had blood all over me. I didn't want to mess him up, you know?"

Kagome nodded with a smile, which Rin returned.

"But he insisted, stooping down to pick me up. He sat there in that alley with me, holding me when I started to cry." Rin grinned then, giving a small snort of laughter. "I totally ruined his suit, just like I thought I would. He didn't care though. He just picked me up and walked out of the alley. He never said a word, but to the hospital staff. I was so scared he wouldn't be there when I woke up. I had a screaming fit, calling for him as I tried to get away from the nurses. They finally brought him in, and it was then he said 'You belong to me now. I won't let another harm you.' Can you imagine how mind blowing that was, to be claimed by an angel as beautiful as he was?"

Kagome started to laugh, finally figuring out who Rin was speaking of. Rin nudged her playfully, but continued. "It took a while to realize he wasn't an angel, but that'll always be how I think of him. That's why I'm so protective of him. However," she sighed deeply, as if she were tired for some reason. "I want you to be with him."

"_Huh?!!!_"

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. I can tell that he cares about you, and that you genuinely care about him. I won't be able to protect him forever…" She grinned and opened Kagome's door, shoving her out before closing it. "But you would. Take care of my Sesshoumaru-sama Kagome-nee-chan! And don't worry about your costume, I'll bring it to you!" With that she sped off, leaving Kagome to wonder what just happened. She shrugged and went back inside, but couldn't get what Rin said out of her mind.

'So she thinks he cares for me huh?' Kagome shook her head, dismissing the idea. 'Nah, that's impossible. Besides, there's too much to think about right now. I don't have time to consider it.' Kagome nodded in agreement, passing the rec room door as she made her way to the kitchen. 'I need to just forget this. A little baking should help.'

__

/Wednesday, 3:53 Kagome's Room/

"We're going shopping! We're going shopping!" Kagome sang as she stripped out of her work clothes. She jumped into a pair of hip huggers and a baby t-shirt with the words 'Guardian Angel' printed on the front, grabbed a brown leather bomber out of the closet and bolted out of the room and down the stairs.

Sesshoumaru stood beside the door, shrugging into a black leather trench coat as she skidded to a stop beside him. "Ready to go I see," he quirked as she jerked her attaché from a hook on the wall.

"I sure am-are you dressed in another suit?" she accused, surveying his attire. Sesshoumaru nodded, pulling a pair of keys out of a cubby near Kagome and walking outside. "Why do you always have to dress in suits? Don't you own jeans or something?"

"I do not." He walked off the front porch to the garage and opened a side door. "Wait up there."

"Yes, your highness," Kagome grumbled as she sat down on the steps. "Do this, do that. Just who does this guy think he is, Emperor of Japan or something?"

A horn beeped moments later. Kagome lifted her head as Sesshoumaru pulled out of the garage in a black Mazda RX-7.

"Ready?"

"It's not like I didn't have to wait forever," Kagome grumbled as she got in. "What made you decide to drive today?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "Limos attract too much attention. This doesn't."  
  
"Oh." Kagome looked out the window as the gates closed behind them, then tuned back to Sesshoumaru. "Can I drive?"

"No."

"Hm!" Kagome pouted a moment, then "Can I at least listen to a cd?"

Sesshoumaru gestured to the stereo. "Do as you like."

"Cool!"

Sesshoumaru mentally groaned as Kagome dug around her attaché. He could hear cd's being clicked against each other before she pulled one out.

"Here we go!" she chirped, pushing the cd into the drive. There was nothing but music for a full minute, then someone started to sing.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-want…-you-you-you-you-you-you-you-you-oh…-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-want…-you-you-you-"

"Is this all there is?" Sesshoumaru asked irritably, his hands tapping the steering wheel. Kagome shook her head.

"Nope. There's something after this."

"How long is this song?"

"I don't know. I've never heard the end of it."

Sesshoumaru turned to her, his eyebrow quirked curiously. "How much have you heard?"

"About 9 minutes."

Sesshoumaru quickly pushed the fast forward button, a tick developing in his right eye. "Hey!" Kagome squealed, swatting his hands away. "If you wanted me to change it, just ask."

Sesshoumaru grumbled something rude as Kagome searched for something else. "Ooo! This is good! You'll like this one."

Sesshoumaru glared at her a moment, then relaxed as a piano solo fluttered from the speakers. Kagome smiled. "See, you're already loving it." She closed her eyes, leaned against the seat and started to sing.

"Everything you are, everything you'll be touches the current of love so deep in me. Every sigh in the night, every tear that you cry seduces me."

Violins accompanied the piano as both the singer and Kagome took a breath.

"All that I am, all that I'll be, means nothing at all if you can't be with me. Your most innocent kiss or your sweetest caress seduces me."

Sesshoumaru glanced over to his passenger, marveling at the purity and passion in her voice as she continued unaware. "I don't care about tomorrow. I've given up on yesterday. Here and now is all that matters. Right here with you is where I'll stay….

"Everything in this world, every voice in the night, every little thing of beauty comes shining thru in your eyes. And all that is you becomes part of me too 'cause all you do seduces me."

Sesshoumaru found himself enthralled, watching Kagome as she truly became the song. It seemed as if every breath, every word was for him and him alone.

"And If I should die tomorrow I'd go down with a smile on my face. I thank God I've ever known you. I fall down on my knees for all the love we've made.

"Every sigh in the night, every tear that you cry seduces me, seduces-" She opened her eyes suddenly and gasped. "Jesus Christ Sesshoumaru! Look out!"

Sesshoumaru blinked, then swerved out of the path of an oncoming truck. The car skidded to a stop in the middle of the road, both Kagome and Sesshoumaru struggling to control their racing hearts.

"That was close," Kagome panted. "Maybe we should drive without the music."

"Maybe we should," Sesshoumaru agreed, pulling back into the right lane as Kagome pulled out the cd. 'Or else we'll never get to the mall.'

__

/6:30, The Mall/

Kagome knocked on the dressing room door, then leaned against it. 'Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to try American Eagle,' she thought. "Sesshoumaru, are you alright in there?"

Kagome smiled as grumbling came from under the door. She could have sworn she heard something akin to 'wench' in the mist of it, but she brushed it off. "Good. Try one of these on!"

She tossed a pack of white tank tops over the door, a twack and an ow coming moment later.

"Watch what you throw Kagome!"

"So-rry!" Kagome replied, holding her hand over her mouth to muffle her giggles.

"Whatever…"

"What a grouch," Kagome whispered as a saleswoman that reminded her of Sutaasafaia walked up to her.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked as she pulled her hair back. Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I need a pair of black jeans. Hey Sesshou!"

"Sesshoumaru!"

"grumble-grumble," Kagome mocked, then "Sesshoumaru! What size pants do you wear?"

"34 waist."

Kagome shook her head. "In a 36. And if you have it, see if you can find a black waist-length jacket with white fur trim."

"Right away." The saleswoman walked away and came back with a pair of pants. "Will these do?"  
  
"Sure will!" Kagome tossed them over the door, earning another ow for her trouble. "Um, I need a pair of hiking boots with this too. What size shoe do you wear?"

"Tennis shoes?"

Kagome shrugged. "That'll work."

"12"

"Jeez he's got big feet," Kagome whispered as she turned to the saleswoman. "What he said, and black."

"Alright. This will just take a moment."

Kagome nodded, then reached for the belt rack beside her. 'This will do nicely,' she thought as she tossed one of the leather belts over the door.

"Damn it Kagome!"

"Sorry!" Kagome giggled. "I'm not trying to hurt you on purpose!" She dug around inside Sesshoumaru's coat, which was with her since she left her coat in the car, for a red leather strap. "Here! Put this on over your pants!"

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked when it hit the floor.

'Damn! I just knew that would hit him!' Kagome snapped her fingers dismally, then answered his question. "It's a waist harness. Just step into it and strap it to your waist."

"With the belt?"

"With the belt."

"Fine…" A couple of jingles, some new grumbling and what Kagome knew was a 'wench' later the salesperson came back with the jacket in her hands as Sesshoumaru knocked on the door.

"Will this do?" she asked. Kagome nodded. "Yes Sesshoumaru?"

"Are you through yet?"

"Yeah, we have the last piece out here."  
  
Sesshoumaru sighed. "So you're saying that I have to walk out of here with this ridiculous stuff on?"

"Yup. Come on out here Sesshoumaru."

Kagome moved to stand beside the saleswoman as Sesshoumaru came out.

Clink! Clink!  
  
"What's that?" the saleswoman asked. "Oh, that's just the harness I gave him," Kagome answered. "The pull must be knocking against the belt loop or something."

"Well," Sesshoumaru sighed as he shut the door behind him. "Tell me how idiotic I look."

Kagome gaped, as did the salesperson as they stared at him. 'I got the wrong size tank tops,' was Kagome's only coherent thought as she gawked at the cotton stretched across Sesshoumaru's well built chest, her eyes flowing from the well-fitting pants to his chest and back again.

"Wow," the saleswoman gasped, breaking Kagome's adore. Kagome shook her head, physically trying to shake free the turn her thoughts had taken as Sesshoumaru glared at them.

"Are you going to say anything?"

Kagome nodded. "I think I got the wrong size tank top. Let me go see if I can fin-"

"No!" the saleswoman gasped, grabbing Kagome's arm. She blushed under their curious stares, her eyes trained to the floor as she said "No, that's the way they're wearing them now."

"Ok then" Kagome said slowly, eyeing the woman nervously. "Here!" She tossed Sesshoumaru the jacket, which he caught one handed and put on. "Perfect! Don't you agree?" she asked the saleswoman. She took one look at him and said

"Hey, you're supposed to be Squall right?"

"Who?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome covered her eyes with her hand and groaned. The saleswoman nodded. "Yeah, I see it now. All you need is this," she draped a silver chain around his neck and turned him toward a three way mirror. "And you're all set!"

"Who is Squall?"

"That Final Fantasy game. You know, the one all the girls are going 'gaa!' over."

Sesshoumaru glared at Kagome's mirror image. "Yes, I've heard of him. Kagome, you do realize that a lot of business associates are going to be at this banquet, right?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Yet you dress me like a video game character…"

"I think it fits your personality," Kagome reasoned.

"And that would be…?"

"Tall, strong, and silent," the saleswoman replied wistfully. Kagome groaned. "Silent. I wish…"

"I heard that," Sesshoumaru remarked. Kagome scowled. "Good. I wanted you to." She pointed to the pants, watching him as he glanced over the costume in the mirror. "How are they?"

"Not bad," he quipped. "Not bad at all."

"See! And you run around in suits all day! You didn't know what you were missing!" Kagome clapped her hands suddenly, a brilliant idea coming to mind. "Hey! Let's shop for you!"

"What?" Sesshoumaru stammered as she and the saleswoman shoved him back into the dressing room. Kagome smiled. "Yeah! I've always wanted to see what you'd look like dressed down! Why not?" They closed the door in his face, then evilly grinned at each other. "This is what I need!"

"Uh-huh…"

"I need another tank top, this one a little looser that the last, and a pair of blue jeans. Same size."

"Got ya!" The saleswoman scampered away as Kagome knocked on the dressing room door. "Hey Sesshoumaru!"

"What now?"

"Get undressed."

A pause, then "Why Marshal Higurashi, are you planning a strip search?" Kagome blushed and kicked him in the shin from under the door. "OW!"

"That's what you get, you bloody pervert! Now do like I said. Leave the tank top on and throw the rest over the door." A few minutes later Sesshoumaru did as she asked, tossing the clothes over the door and onto her head in one big pile.

"SESSHOUMARU!!!"

"Hey, I only did as you said. You can't arrest me for that."

"Jackass," Kagome grumbled, folding the pants as the saleswoman came up with what she ordered. "Is this right?" she asked. Kagome set aside the folded pants and nodded. "Yup. Toss 'em over."

She did so, apparently nailing Sesshoumaru over the head. "OW! Kagome!"

"You'll be fine," Kagome muttered as she folded the jacket and handed them both to the woman. "Here, he's going to buy these. We should be at the counter shortly."

"Alright then."

Kagome glanced around, trying to find one more thing before Sesshoumaru came out. 'I think,' she thought as she looked at the casual button-up shirts around her 'that…' she grabbed a red jewel tone shirt and a black bomber jacket. '_this_ will do nicely.' "Here you go Sesshoumaru!"

"You missed, midget."

Kagome growled and grabbed the doorknob with every intention of breaking his skull. "That low down, dirty rotten-"

"If you come in here, you're not coming out until the store closes…"

Kagome blushed, releasing the door quickly. "Pervert…"

Sesshoumaru chuckled darkly. "But you like me this way."

"Yeah, like I like a hole in my head. Come out."

Sesshoumaru stepped out, dressed in what she tossed over the door. "So, now what?"

Kagome nodded as she looked him over. "Not bad," she said as she tugged on his ponytail. The jeans fit well, just like the ones from earlier, with the shirt and jacket coming to mid thigh.

"Can we go now?" Sesshoumaru grumbled. Kagome nodded. "Yes Sesshoumaru. Go up front while I gather your suit."

A few moments later they were out of the store and heading to the parking lot. "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Sesshoumaru told her as he put his wallet into his new jacket. Kagome rolled her eyes irritably. "I told you it wouldn't be."

"But you have a tendency to be wrong."

Kagome growled something rude, then tossed all three bags into the back of the car. "You're a jerk."

"As you keep telling me."

"Come on," Kagome said as she tossed on his jacket, which was at least four times bigger than she was. Sesshoumaru bit back a chuckle. "What's with you and wearing my stuff?"

"Huh?"

"You sleep in my shirts, and now you're wearing my coat. Why?"

Kagome blushed, then grabbed his arm and dragged him toward a food court. "I'm ignoring you for the rest of the-" She slumped over suddenly, whatever she was saying forgotten as she kneeled with her hand to her stomach. Sesshoumaru kneeled beside her, rubbing her back comfortingly as he looked around.

"I don't see anything Kagome."

Kagome looked around, searching with her mind's eye. "But they're here." She stood up and backed Sesshoumaru out of the nearest exit. Kagome peered through the door as Sesshoumaru stood behind her, watching as four men approached the door.

"Come on," Kagome said as she grabbed Sesshoumaru and pulled him down the sidewalk. "Kagome, what's going on," Sesshoumaru asked as she pulled him into a nearby alley.

"Pay attention because I'm only going to say this once: When I say run, run back to the car and get it started."

"I'm not leaving you here," Sesshoumaru disagreed, grabbing a fist full of coat and holding her close to him. "What if they hurt you?"

"Are you serious?" Kagome huffed. "Nothing can hurt me, remember?"

"Whatever Wonder Woman. I don't see a golden lasso on you."

"But I have my daggers. Just do as I say."

"No."

Kagome rolled her eyes in frustration, shoving him toward the other side of the alley. "We don't have time for your games Sesshoumaru!" Sesshoumaru turned around and grabbed her by her wrist.

"Who said this was a game?"

Kagome grimaced, her Spider-sense getting stronger with every second. "Ok then. Remember that parking garage we passed on the way here?"

"The one with the construction site beside it?"

"Yeah. I'll meet you there." She disentangled herself from him, then pushed him out to the sidewalk. "Now get!" Sesshoumaru cast a doubtful look her way, staying right where he was. "Now Sesshoumaru! Go!"

Sesshoumaru finally did as she asked, throwing one last look over his shoulder before disappearing in the crowd. Kagome sighed, then tensed, waiting for whatever to come down the alleyway. 'It'll be harder to spot him now that he looks like everyone else,' Kagome thought as two thugs leered at her from the top of the alley. 'I'm rather grateful for that little bit of foresight. Now what to do about Larry and Moe…'

"Hey Kitten!" one cooed as they came toward her. "Where's your boss?"  
  
'Oh great," Kagome groaned as she leaned against the wall. 'These two aren't the ones I'm sensing. That means the worst is yet to come. But I need to get rid of these two first.'

"I don't know," Kagome lied as she gazed wide-eyed at them. "He just took off and left me here."

"Well we won't leave you here," the other man replied as the first one snickered. "Man, Naraku's right. You are a fox."

'Yeah, I'm sure he thinks so.' "You guys won't hurt me, will you?"

"Nah, we won't hurt you," the first one said as he reached out for her. "But he did say we could have a little fun with you first."

"Really?" Kagome traced a finger along his shirt collar as the other looked on. "So you promise you won't hurt me?"

"Not unless you misbehave. Now you wouldn't do that, would you?" They started to laugh as Kagome flashed them a pretty smile. "I don't know fellas." She head butted the first man, then tossed him into the second rendering them both unconscious. "I have a real hard head."

"Well, now that that's over-" She stopped, the butterflies fluttering intently before disappearing. Kagome turned her gaze from the two humans to the pack of human-disguised youkai at the end of the alley. 'Oh great,' she groaned as they stalked toward her. 'This is just what I need.'

They surrounded her quickly, wasting no time as the first attacked her. She backhanded it easily, then kicked another in the ribs. They stumbled away as two more tried their luck, again being kicked or hit back to their positions.

"Well, it seems we have a fighter on our hands," the ringleader smirked. She was taller than the rest, with pale lavender eyes despite her human features. "But you're in for a surprise. You see…" she and the others around her dropped their sealing spells, revealing youkai of various species. "We're not human."

Kagome smiled back, dropping into her well used boxer's stance. "That's funny. You see…" Her aura flashed a dark purple, then surrounded her and began to glow. "I'm not a normal human. Come get some bitch."

The leader screamed in outrage, ordering her minions forward. Kagome punched the first one, instantly purifying it into gray dust before back-kicking the next one. A right hook to a bear youkai and a spinning kick to a kitsune and two more were rendered useless. Kagome turned to the leader next, grabbing her by the hair and bending her backward. She quickly jabbed one of her daggers into her throat, leaving her to bleed to death on the gravel below. The rest of the youkai stopped, watching as their leader turned a ghastly white before crumbling before them.

Kagome backed into the wall slowly, desperately trying to figure out a way of escape when she heard a clang from above. She looked up quickly, giving a sigh of relief at the ladder a foot above her head. 'That must be some sort of fire escape!' she reasoned as she reached out for it. A quick burst of her power levitated her toward it, her hand wrapping around the last rung as she dangled above the youkai unnoticed. She scrambled up to the roof quickly, dashing across it as the first howl of outrage and sorrow came from the alley below.

Sesshoumaru quickly rounded the corner, remembering to walk toward the parking garage per Kagome's instructions. 'Why didn't I stay with her?' he berated himself as he hustled past other pedestrians. 'I'm no coward. I should have stayed!' He sighed to himself, ignoring the strange looks from the others around him. 'No, Kagome said to go to the garage. If I know her, she's probably already there, and pissed off because I'm not.' He smirked, then stilled as the presence of a youkai made itself known from behind him.

Sesshoumaru turned and sure enough, a sealed ryuu youkai was smiling back at him. Sesshoumaru continued to walk, figuring it to be nothing more than mere coincidence until the ryuu's steps quickened with his. He turned another corner, surprised to find another youkai blocking his way.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" he greeted with an evil grin on his face. "How long has it been?"

"Too long," Sesshoumaru muttered as he turned around. The ryuu youkai from earlier was right behind him, and he suddenly found himself sandwiched between the two as they pushed him down the sidewalk.

"The guy asked you a question my lord. It's rude not to answer," the ryuu jeered as the other laughed. Sesshoumaru stopped, shoving the two aside and continuing along his way.

"Why Lord Sesshoumaru! How mean! I'm sure you're assistant is much nicer…"

Sesshoumaru jerked him forward instantly, grasping his collar as he snarled "What have you done to her?"

The youkai shrugged as his companion stood by. "I haven't done a thing. It's what the other two are doing that you should be worried about. She's pretty too. I wonder what she tastes like."

"Yeah," the ryuu agreed. "I bet she's like honey in the sack, right Sessho-"

Sesshoumaru grasped them both, shook them and dropped them back to the sidewalk without another word.

"Oooo…" the ryuu cooed. "I think we touched a nerve."

"But Lord Sesshoumaru," the other youkai jeered, jumping over Sesshoumaru's head and landing in front of him. "We just want a friendly spar."

"We are not friends."

"Hm," the ryuu shrugged. "He's right. Let's just beat the brakes off him!"

Sesshoumaru ducked the ryuu's wild swing, then landed a swift blow to his ribs. He quickly grasped the other youkai by the collar, slinging him forcefully into a nearby wall. He elbowed the ryuu in the back, then tossed him into his friend before turning his gaze to the street.

As far as Sesshoumaru could tell, no one witnessed that little exchange. Sesshoumaru did see something that interested him however...

"Hey!" a human squeaked as Sesshoumaru grabbed the front of the motorcycle, grasped the human by the back of his neck and dropped him onto the sidewalk. "What are you doing? That's my bike!"

"How much?"

The human blinked. "My bike? You want to buy my bike?"

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. 'Imagine. A human more annoying than Kagome.' "Yes, I do. Now how much?"

"Um…" The two youkai behind the human were beginning to stir, so Sesshoumaru fished out his wallet in annoyance.

"Here!" He pulled out his credit cards and id, then threw the wallet to the human. "That should be more than enough." He straddled the bike, revved the engine and sped off, glancing over his shoulder at the youkai and the astonished human behind him.

'There, now that that's taken care of-'

"Yow!"

"Ahhh!"

Sesshoumaru looked behind him again, his eyes narrowing as the two youkai raced toward him with bikes of their own.

Kagome stopped on the ledge of the other side of the rooftop, gazing at the next one in dismay. 'Oh man! There's no way I can make that! It's at least 8 feet!'

She turned toward the snarling behind her, watching in round-eyed horror as the youkai from the alley poured onto the roof en mass. 'Ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap!' Their eyes were blood-shot, a sure sign that their bloodlust was in control. 'I've got to get over this alleyway!'

She shook her head and smiled, giving herself a light tap on the head as she backed away from the ledge. 'I'm a miko! Duh!' She ran forward again and leaped over the expanse, using her ki to levitate herself to the next roof.

She rolled to a stop on the rooftop, turning around and smiling at the pissed off youkai behind her. 'Well, that was easy. Now comes the har-' Kagome yelped as someone jerked her from behind, swinging her around viciously before throwing her through the glass sunroof and into the building below.

Sesshoumaru glanced behind him again, weaving through traffic as the other youkai struggled to catch up. 'This is an inconvenience that I don't have time for,' he griped as he passed a Buick on his left. The driver flicked him off, but he paid it no attention as he pulled into his lane and sped forward.

"Hey Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru glared to the left, then growled as the ryuu youkai smiled at him from his place on his motorcycle. "Hey! What's the matter?"

"Are you scared of us?" the other youkai said, a scraggly red tail trailing along behind him as his motorcycle pulled up to Sesshoumaru's left. They both withdrew swords from their sides. "I bet you're really scared now!"

Sesshoumaru released the handles and leaned backward as the youkai swiped at him, missing him by mere millimeters. He sat back up instantly, grabbing both youkai by the back of the head and slamming their foreheads into their handlebars.

"Disrespectful idiots," Sesshoumaru grumbled as he darted ahead, leaving the disorientated youkai behind once again.

'Oh God! I'm going to die!' Kagome panicked as she fell. 'I'm going to die, and Sesshoumaru will never know how I fe-'

Boing!

'Boing?' Kagome glanced around wildly as she rose back up, half listening the rustling of Sesshoumaru's coat as it flared around her. "What the hell?"

Kagome looked down and laughed in relief. 'A trampoline.' She fell once again, bouncing on the enormous store display with glee. 'Thank God for small fav-'

Kagome looked up as a snarl descended to her. 'Oh great…'

The youkai fell down around her, bouncing on the trampoline as they surrounded her once again. Kagome readied herself, steadying slightly as she slowed to a stop. The first youkai bounced toward her, tearing the ponytail holder out of her hair as it attempted to jerk her backward. Kagome kicked the blade of her foot into its chin, watching the blood sputter from its mouth as its head snapped back with a click.

She ducked a punch from another one, grabbing its arm and throwing it over her shoulder from the trampoline to the floor below. A cheetah youkai pounced, but Kagome high kicked it in the chest, it too spiraling to the floor. A bear youkai grabbed her from behind, attempting to crush her in its vice-like grasp. Kagome jumped up, using the momentum from the trampoline to hit it in the chin with the top of her head. It yelped, dropping her instantly and holding its cracked jaw.

"Did that hurt?" Kagome asked as she kicked another in the back of the head. The bear nodded, missing the set-up entirely.

"Then I hope this does too!" Kagome punched him in the groin, then kicked him off the trampoline. She right hooked an inu youkai, then used one of her daggers to stab it in the arm. It yowled angrily as it died, Kagome's ki flowing through its veins and purifying everything it touched.

Kagome glanced around her finally, taking the time to survey her surroundings as she looked at the litter of youkai ashes around her. 'Man, I hate it for whoever opens tomorrow,' she mused as she stared to bounce. A few well placed jumps was all it took for Kagome to gain enough thrust to reach the rooftop. She landed on the other side of the shattered sunroof and continued her sprint toward the ledge and the next roof.

Sesshoumaru pulled into the construction site, stopping the bike and turning off the engine. 'I'm tired of running from those two,' he growled as he picked up a pair of lead pipes. 'It's time to make them pay for their insults.'

"Hey Sesshoumaru!" the ryuu called as he and the other youkai circled around Sesshoumaru. "You stopped for us! Thanks a lot!"

"Yeah! Now it'll be much easier to kill you!" The youkai smiled, it's tail twitching slightly behind him. "Naraku said that if we do a real good job, he'll let us have a go at your pretty assistant! Isn't he the best?"

Sesshoumaru twirled the pole in his left hand, a silent bid for them to do their worst.

"Alright then," the ryuu sighed. "You asked for it." He raised his sword and swiped at Sesshoumaru, squawking in surprise when Sesshoumaru caught it between both poles. Sesshoumaru growled, shirking off his sealing spell and fully allowing his youkai features to take over his body. He gave a predatory grin, the look of the devil darkening his face as the crescent moon burned brightly on his forehead.

"You were saying…" he snarled, smirking as the ryuu paled in front of him. Sesshoumaru released the sword in a flash, swinging the left pole across the ryuu's chest as the right smashed into his forehead. He fell from the bike, his eyes open and unseeing as Sesshoumaru turned toward the other youkai.

"Um," it stuttered, reaching for his sword. "I…uh.."

Sesshoumaru swung the right pole into the back of his head, then implanted the left one into his chest when he fell to the ground. Sesshoumaru smirked down at them, flicking what little of their blood off his coat before mounting his bike and driving into the parking garage.

'The garage!' Kagome cheered as she ran across the last rooftop. 'Thank God! Where's Sesshoumaru?' She leaped over the last alley to it, only to shriek when another youkai appeared ahead of her.

"Going somewhere!" he snarled as he tossed her back to the rooftop and in the mist of another pack of youkai. Kagome used her power to land safely among them, wrapping Sesshoumaru's coat around her like a cape. She glared at them as they circled around her, realizing that her power was almost exhausted.

'I can't let them get to Sesshoumaru,' she concluded as she stood her ground. 'No matter what happens to me, they can't get to him.'

Kagome blocked the first punch, then dodged a second as the youkai around her attacked.

'Where is she?' Sesshoumaru questioned as he glanced around the top of the parking garage. He sniffed, remembering to revive the sealing spell at the last moment as he searched for her.

"Kagome, where are you?"

Sesshoumaru turned as her shriek pierced his ears, finally spotting her on the adjacent rooftop. She was kneeling by the feet of one youkai, staring another in the eye as it raised it's claws.

"Where is Takamada?" it demanded, it's claws at Kagome's throat. Kagome spit in its eye. "Go to Hell."

It snarled, raising its claws to slit her throat when the back wheel of Sesshoumaru's motorcycle hit him in the back of the head. Sesshoumaru balanced the tire back to the ground, then reached over and tossed the youkai holding Kagome over the side of the building.

"Hello gorgeous! Need a ride?"

"Man am I glad to see you!" Kagome chirped as she jumped on behind him. Sesshoumaru jumped back to the parking lot and drove down the ramp to the street below. "How did you know where to find me?" Kagome asked as she shook her hair. Sesshoumaru shrugged indifferently. "I saw you from the parking lot. It looks like you needed me after all."

"Yeah yeah," Kagome grumbled, resting her head against his back and giving him a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad you're alright Sesshoumaru," she whispered softly, her eyes closed as she snuggled against him. Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder at her, giving her an unseen smile before glancing at the road behind them and groaning.

"Just great."

"What?" Kagome sat up and looked behind them as Sesshoumaru changed gears and sped up. Kagome groaned miserably as a black BMW raced toward them, the youkai inside the car grinning as the windows rolled down. "Sesshoumaru, hold on."

"What…"

Sesshoumaru started when he and the bike began to glow pink, then hit the brakes as his front door appeared before him. "What on earth…" Sesshoumaru swerved to a stop, barely missing the marble steps before turning off the ignition and climbing off the motorcycle.

"How did you-"

"Instant transmission," Kagome answered wearily. "It's something I've been working on." She groaned as she climbed off, her hand to her forehead as she asked "What about your clothes?"

"Ah and Un will get them," Sesshoumaru assured her as he gently grasped her waist. "Are you alright Kagome?"

"Yeah," Kagome replied stubbornly as she batted his hands away. "I'm fine. Never…" Sesshoumaru caught her before she could fall, shaking his head at her as she slept away unaware.

"Fine huh?" Sesshoumaru teased as he carried her into the front door. "I'm sure you are my little miko. I'm sure you are…"


	23. Rin's Plan in Action

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends. The line Kagome says on the balcony is from Creed's 'My Sacrifice' and the dance they perform at the ball is when Riona first meets Squall in FFVIII.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Three: Rin's Plan In Action

/_Friday, 6:05 PM/_

Kagome ran down the stairs quickly, trying to keep from falling down the stairs head first as she zipped up the side of her boots. "Hey fellas!" she chirped as she stopped before Ah and Un. "How do I look?"

"Lovely as always Kagome," Ah replied, Un nodding in agreement as Kagome spun around. She curtsied, a light blush staining her cheeks.

"You guys really know how to give a compliment."

"We know. Follow us if you please."

Kagome did as they requested, pulling on the plastic jacket that came with her costume as Ah and Un lead her outside and to the garage. "If you don't mind us asking, why is Takamada-sama already at the party?"

"I kinda figured that it would look funny if we were to arrive together for everything," Kagome reasoned. "I'm supposed to be undercover after all. But don't worry. One of my friends from the FBI is looking after him for me until I get there." She peered over Ah's shoulder as he unlocked the garage door.

"Do I get to drive a car?"

"Yes, you do." They escorted her into the garage. Kagome gaped as she looked around the warehouse-sized building, then at the cars inside it.

"Oh wow!" she gasped. There were six sports cars, three limos and four motorcycles, all painted black except for one.

"Is this an Austin Martin?" Kagome asked as she approached the silver vehicle. Un nodded as he walked behind her, leaving Ah standing by the key locker.

"It's beautiful. I've always wanted to drive one of these."

"Then you shall." Ah tossed Un the keys, who then turned them over to Kagome. He smiled as she took them, silently laughing at her as she bounced around in glee.

"Really! Thanks you two!" Her brow furrowed slightly. "Are you sure Sesshoumaru won't mind me driving this?"

"No, not really. He's not very fond of this car. He barely drives it. But it does have gas in it."

"OK then!" Kagome scampered inside quickly, closing the door and adjusting the seat. Ah opened the garage door as Un leaned inside to explain a few features.

"This is the On-Star system," he said, pointing to the navigational system in the dashboard. "It's already programmed to guide you to the banquet, but you can ask it about other things as well. Is there anything else you need explained?"

"No, not really." Kagome waved to them, then stepped on the gas and pulled off with Ah and Un standing in the driveway watching her.

"Do you think Rin's plan is going to work?" Un asked. Ah shrugged. "I don't even know what it is, but I hope it does."

__

/7:45 PM/

Sesshoumaru flicked a piece of fur away from his face, glancing around the crowd for any sign of Kagome. 'I knew this was a bad idea,' he grumbled as he looked at the buffet table. 'After all, it takes the woman at least 20 minutes to take a shower.'

"Excuse me?"

Sesshoumaru turned around, mentally grumbling at the jester behind him. "Yes?"

"Are you Sesshoumaru Takamada?"

"I am he."

The jester stuck his hand out, motioning for Sesshoumaru to shake it. "It's great to meet you. You have no idea how refreshing it is to see someone dressed as one of my characters."

"Excuse me?" Sesshoumaru asked, confused. The jester smiled. "I'm the C. E. O. for SquareSoft, the company that makes the Final Fantasy games."

'I'm going to kill her.' "Yes," Sesshoumaru nodded as he shook the gentleman's hand. "I remember now."

"A woman dressed you, didn't she?"

"As a matter of fact, she did. How did you know?"

The jester laughed. "It's the look on your face. I have yet to meet a male that was willing to dress like the game without a female's assistance. You know," with this he reached inside the cuff of his costume. "I've wanted to speak to you for a while about producing one of the future FF games. Would you be interested?"

Sesshoumaru mentally smirked, imagining Rin's and Kagome's faces if he were to accept this. "I think I would be."

The jester smiled and handed Sesshoumaru his business card. "That's great! Here's my card! I'll be in touch with you soon!" Sesshoumaru watched as he danced away, then began to mill through the crowd. A familiar voice called to him just as he reached the other side of the room.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

'Not him,' Sesshoumaru groaned as he stopped and turned around. 'Anyone but him…'

"Hey!" Kouga greeted as he caught up. "How are ya!"

"I could be better," Sesshoumaru grumbled. Kouga frowned as Sesshoumaru glanced him over. 'It would figure the wolf would dress as Prince Charming. What an oxymoron.'

"Where's my-"

"Mr. Takamada!"

Sesshoumaru glanced over Kouga's shoulder to Sutaasafaia as she walked to them. She wore a black wig that reached about mid-shoulder, with a white blouse and a green skirt that reminded him of a school uniform.

"How are you Mr. Takamada?" she asked as she stopped beside Kouga. "Kouga's not getting on your nerves, is he?"

"I was just going to ask the inu-kurro here where my woman was."

"Hey! I resent that!" Sutaasafaia chided angrily, her hands on her hips. Sesshoumaru chose to ignore the comment. "What are you dressed as?" he asked her. Sutaasafaia smiled back at him. "I'm supposed to be my favorite anime character. Aren't you Squall?"

'I'm really going to kill her now.'

"Where's my woman, Sesshoumaru?" Kouga interrupted. Sesshoumaru barely shrugged. "_Kagome _decided to arrive at a different time. She is la-" He stopped as a familiar scent wafted through the air, drowning out the scent of the other humans around him. He turned and followed it, leaving Kouga and Sutaasafaia behind as the scent of jasmines led him to the center of the ballroom.

The jester was there again, this time talking to a young woman about something. "Are you sure you wouldn't like some help finding him?" he asked her. She shook her head, the tips of her waist length hair flicking from side to side.

"No thank you. I'm sure he'll find me." She turned around as the jester walked away, then smiled at Sesshoumaru and the others. "Hello Sesshoumaru. I've been looking for you."

Sesshoumaru stood as Sutaasafaia and Kagome greeted each other, admiring Rin's choice of costume. It was a sort of fireman's outfit; with a white, midriff baring top, yellow suspenders, blue daisy dukes and a pair of thigh high white boots. The costume accentuated her figure, from the long black hair pouring from under the plastic fireman's hat to her toned stomach and long legs. Kagome tipped her hat at him, a shy smile on her face as Kouga leered at her.

"Why are you so quiet?"

"You are late," he muttered as he grasped her hand. "What took so long?"

Kagome huffed irritably, gesturing to her costume in annoyance. "Have you ever tried to put half of this crap on? I swear Rin doesn't like me!"

Sesshoumaru smirked at her distress, missing the queer looks Sutaasafaia and Kouga were giving them as he lead her to the dance floor. Kagome rolled her eyes when she registered where he was headed, giving a near inaudible sigh as Sesshoumaru draped an arm around her waist.

"Do you still fear embarrassing me?" he whispered in her ear, mentally chuckling at the blush staining her cheeks. Kagome shook her head. "No, not anymore. It's just that…"

"That…"  
  
"Oh, never mind. Forget it."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Are you sure? If you want, I can tell you what people are saying here too."

"No thank you," she whispered as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't think I'll need that."

Sesshoumaru smirked down at her, catching a few of the envious remarks from male and female alike as they danced to the song. 'That's my girl,' he complimented when Kagome closed her eyes and relaxed in his arms. 'You're learning so quickly. I shouldn't be surprised.' The melody changed to a tune he knew, but hadn't heard in a few centuries.

'I wonder how they found this,' Sesshoumaru pondered as he glanced at the other couples around them. It seemed as if they knew the music like he did, recognizing the court waltz from his father's time. 'I know Kagome doesn't know it. I should teach her.'

He stepped to the side, his right hand grasping Kagome's left as the music slowed to a mere crawl. She glanced at him in confusion, her eyes traveling his body before a grin spread across her face. The music sped up, and so did the dance as she stepped to his left and brought her left hand to touch his right. They stepped back quickly, circling around each other before repeating the first part of the waltz.

Sesshoumaru watched her in amazement as Kagome performed the dance, pulling her toward him to watch as she spun out of his arms. He reached for her again, finishing the waltz with her facing him as the music slowed back to the original bars.

"How did you know that?" he asked her. Kagome blushed, glancing to the side to avoid his eyes. "Well, I told you I took dance. Plus this dance is on that game you seem not to like so much."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, forgetting the others around him as he cupped the side of her face. Kagome finally made eye contact with him, her eyes startling in their starlight intensity. To Sesshoumaru, it seemed to take forever for her to blink, watching as her lashes brushed the top of her cheeks before gracing him once again.

"So beautiful," he thought, unaware until Kagome's blush that he'd spoken this aloud. He paid it no mind, preferring to drink in her features as his thumb brushed against her lower lip. Her eyelids lowered shyly as Sesshoumaru traced a slow path on her cheek with his finger. "Kagome, I-"

"Hey!" Kouga chirped, interrupting the moment. "Can I cut in?"

Kagome sprang back instantly, blushing furiously as Sesshoumaru glared at Kouga in contempt. "I-I need some air!" she stammered before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Sesshoumaru turned to Kouga, irritation crackling in the air around him.

"Was that necessary?"

Kouga stammered as Sutaasafaia caught up to them. "What did you do now Kouga?" she asked as Sesshoumaru walked away.

Sesshoumaru followed Kagome's scent eagerly, it leading him to the balcony. He reached it just as the organizer for the fundraiser spotted him.

"Mr. Takamada?"

'Damn it!' Sesshoumaru grumbled as he turned around. "Yes?"

"What a pleasure it is to see you!" he said, smiling as he shook Sesshoumaru's hand. Sesshoumaru mentally grimaced. 'I'll never get the stink of humans off of me.'

"We honestly weren't expecting you!"

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at this. "You weren't?" The organizer shook his head. "We were told by your assistant a few months ago that you would be unable to attend this evening and that a Mr. Tarentino would be here in your stead. I'm glad to see you here anyway! We do appreciate your donation."

"Of course," Sesshoumaru replied, feeling as if someone set him up for something. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm looking for someone."

"Who? Perhaps I could be of assistance?"

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed, then shook his head. "No, I believe I know where she went. Thank you."

Sesshoumaru finally opened the balcony doors, closing them behind him and leaning against them.

Kagome stood ahead of him, leaning over the balcony rail. She watched the people the street 12 floors below, her gaze wistful as she turned to the stars above. "Hold me now," she whispered to the wind, sighing as she did so. "I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking…maybe six feet, ain't so far down." She propped her elbows onto the rail, resting her chin in her hands as she gazed at the stars.

'Who am I kidding?' she asked herself. 'I mean, so what if he called me beautiful. Why did I run like that? He must think I'm such an airhead, but…' She watched a shooting star streak across the sky, a wistful smile gracing her features. 'I can't help falling for him. He's so charming, and so gentle. It would never work though, not now.' She plunked her head onto the rail dejectedly. "Besides, I bet he thinks I'm a brainless git."

"Now I wouldn't say that."

Sesshoumaru smirked as she started in his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder as he too stared into the sky. "I think you're a lot smarter than most of the gits I've met."

"Gee thanks," Kagome replied sarcastically. Sesshoumaru nudged her with his chin gently. "I meant that you're not as annoying as you should be." Kagome shook her head, then leaned it against his. "Thanks, I guess."

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you," Sesshoumaru whispered, knowing the apology in itself would shock her. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "You are?"

"Of course I am. However, I'm not sorry for what I said. You are beautiful, especially today."

Kagome blushed prettily, turning away from him so he wouldn't see it. "Thank you."

Sesshoumaru turned her to face him, then pulled her closer to him. "I'm bored Marshal."

Kagome giggled quietly. "Me too. Do we have to stay?"

"It was your idea to come."

"Hm! Well, it was a bad one. Can we leave now?"

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow thoughtfully. "I believe so. We weren't supposed to be here anyway."

"But Rin said-"

"I know what Rin said. I don't understand either. I just want to get out of here, but how to do that without being noticed?"

Kagome looked up at him, a devious smile on her face. "Are you forgetting something?"

"What would that be?"

In an instant they were in the parking lot below, standing beside the Austen Martin. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow as the keys appeared in Kagome's hand. "How do you do that?"

"Simple," she unlocked the doors and sat in the driver's seat. "I can get anything that exists and can go anywhere, just so long as I have a good mental picture of where I want to be. Now where to?"

"Anywhere but here."

"Alright," Kagome tampered with the navigational system, then smiled. "Perfect!" she cheered before starting the car and pulling off. Sesshoumaru glanced at her, then out the passenger window. "I've never heard of this instant transmission. What is it exactly?"

"It's kinda new," Kagome explained as she stopped for a red light. "A miko can create some of her own spells at a certain point of her power level. The most powerful ones normally come before her Limit Break. The transmission just happens to be pretty powerful."

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding. "So that's why you fainted after using it Wednesday. It drained you somewhat."

Kagome shook her head, pausing to let a car pull in front of her before resuming down the street. "I fainted because I'd used so much of it trying to get to the garage." She glanced at him a moment, then gave a sheepish grin. "I was chased across the rooftops, tossed through one and the entire time purifying anything dumb enough to touch me. It was rather tiring, and the transmission was the last straw."

"I see."

"Good." Kagome pulled into a park, parking into a space before turning off the engine. "Before you ask, I can transmit things as long as it's level, like with the motorcycle."

"So if another plane crashes…"

"Then I'd have to do it while it was level in the sky, before it started to fall. So we'd still be screwed, in a sense."

"I see."

"Come on!" Kagome jumped out of the car, tossing him the keys as she ran across the playground to the swings.

"Why are we here?" Sesshoumaru asked as he looked around. Kagome sat down in one of the swings and began to guide the swing. "We're here because it's a lot more fun than that fundraiser. Now swing."

Sesshoumaru sat in the swing beside her, watching her swing her legs back and forth before shaking his head. "I don't think so."

Kagome let the swing slow to a stop. "Why not?" Sesshoumaru glanced at her, then shrugged. "I've never been on one of these."

"Really?" Kagome gasped. "Why not?"

'We didn't really have swings when I was a pup.' "I didn't have time for these when I was a child."

"Oh wow," Kagome muttered as she lazily swung her legs. "Um, Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"

"What was your childhood like?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at her, seeing the expectant look on her face. 'She must deem this important. I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell her something.' "Well, my father was a busy person. He honestly didn't have time to do much but train me. My mother died when I was the equivalence of five."

'Equivalence of five? Why would he say it like that?' Kagome wondered. She decided not to ask, waiting patiently for Sesshoumaru to continue.

"For a while, my father and I were alone. Then he…married Inuyasha's mother. I wanted to hate the woman, but I guess I learned to respect her."

"That's why her bow is in the dojo, right?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow inquisitively. "Who told you that?"

"Ah and Un. They told me it was hers. It must be an antique. It's so old."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes, it is rather old. You could say its an heirloom."

"I'm bored again," Kagome groaned as she stood up. "I know!" She lightly tapped Sesshoumaru's arm, then sprinted away. "Tag!"

Sesshoumaru sat still, watching as she ran away from him before standing up and jogging after her. They chased each other around the playground equipment, Sesshoumaru catching Kagome every now and again before allowing her to catch him to begin the game over again. Though Sesshoumaru felt a little foolish, (after all, the last time he played this game Rin was only eight) it didn't seem so bad with Kagome. She seemed truly content, giggling as she ducked and dodged his advances.

Sesshoumaru dropped his regal propositions, becoming but a mere pup as he lost himself in their antics. He reminded himself of Kagome's frail human state, but otherwise had more fun than he had in ages.

Kagome stopped beside the slide in front of him, glancing between the ladder and Sesshoumaru warily.

"I don't think you'll make it," Sesshoumaru warned as Kagome inched her way toward it. "I wouldn't do that…"

"But I would!" Kagome grasped the highest rung, jerking herself up just as Sesshoumaru made a swipe at her. She ran across the board to the pole at the other end, glancing over her shoulder for Sesshoumaru. "Where is he?" she wondered as she grasped the pole and slid down.

Hands instantly pounced onto her waist, Kagome giving a shrill yelp as Sesshoumaru pulled her away from the pole.

"Got you!" Kagome giggled, trying to pry his hands free when thunder rumbled in the sky above them. "Uh-oh…"

Sesshoumaru glanced up as large raindrops started to fall. "Oh well Kagome. Time to go."

"Not yet. Hold on." Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome's hand glowed pink. She muttered something as she touched his chest, pressing her palm against it as the drops multiplied. "There. All done."

Sesshoumaru raised a hand to his face, Kagome scampering out of his grasp as he glanced at the pink ki surrounding him. "What's this?"

"It's a weather shield," Kagome yelled over the rain. "It's supposed to protect you against elemental youkai, but it seemed like a good idea here."

"Elemental youkai?"

"Yeah, youkai that can control either lightening, fire, wind, water, earth or ice."

Sesshoumaru nodded, then frowned as Kagome danced. "You are going to get sick."

"No I won't."

Sesshoumaru signed, ignoring how pretty a picture she made with the rain beating down on her. "Yes you will."  
  
"No I-"

"Don't argue with me." He pulled her closer to him, secretly marveling at the strength of her shield as he held her closer to him. He could feel how cold she was and how soaked her clothes were, but he himself stayed dry and warm. "You know better than to try."

"Yeah yeah," she yawned, grasping the fur around the collar of his coat. "Whatever."

Sesshoumaru shook his head, scooped her up and carried her back to the car. He laid her across the back seat, then moved to the front and started the car.

"Kagome, how long is this shield going to last?"  
  
"Until we (yawn) get inside," she mumbled. After a few minutes she was fast asleep. Sesshoumaru glanced at her through the rear view mirror, not minding the water dripping off the leather seats in rivulets.

__

'She makes a pretty picture like that, with her fist covering her nose like a paw. Perhaps she was a dog in a past life.'

Sesshoumaru mentally groaned, returning his attention to the rain-slick road ahead. 'Not you again.'

__

'Why do you always say that? I'm rather offended Sesshoumaru.'

'Whatever.'

The voice laughed merrily. _'Since when was 'whatever' in your vocabulary? I think she's rubbing off on you.'_

'I think you're an annoyance.'

__

'You would. All I want to do is help you sort out your feelings for the girl.'

Sesshoumaru shook his head. 'I feel nothing. She is but a possession.'

__

'That's what you say, but that's not the way you behave. You are infatuated with her.'

'I'm supposed to appear that way. I'm trying to get her to love me, remember?'

__

'Ah yes, that silly plan. But have you noticed that you've stopped pretending a long time ago?'

'Again, whatever.'

__

'Ah, more of the miko's influence. Answer this for me: What would be so wrong with mating the creature?'

'You mean, besides the fact that she's human and that any pups would be hanyou?'

The voice sighed irritably. _'That may be, but they would not be weak.'_

'All hanyou are weak compared to me.'

__

'Compared to you, but if Rin were in any danger and you could not get to her, you would rather Inuyasha be with her than anyone else.'

'And…'

__

'And any pup born from the miko would be blessed with her power. Imagine, a youkai that can purify youkai with your strength. And you never know. They might be born full youkai. No youkai has ever mated a miko before. None have become close to one as you have and lived.'

'And that is why she'd make an acceptable pet.'

__

'Pet! Bah! You should know better than this. You are playing with fire Sesshoumaru.'

'Nonsense. She is already obedient, and is already displaying feelings for me. Soon she will be madly in love and unwilling to leave my side. You will see.' Sesshoumaru parked in front of the marble outer steps. 'It will work.'

__

'But it just seems wrong to me…' the voice called as it faded into Sesshoumaru's conscience. _'Very wrong…'_

Sesshoumaru ignored this, turning around to fetch Kagome from her makeshift bed. He cradled her against his chest tenderly, gazing into her peaceful face with admiration. 'She's shivering,' he noticed. Sesshoumaru got out of the car, placing Kagome in the driver's seat as he figured out what to do. 'Her shield is keeping me dry. Does that include parts of me that she can't see?' He checked for any sign that Kagome might wake up, then released the sealing spell on his tail. He brought it to his face, watching as the rain bounced off the pink shield around it. 'Well then. Perhaps something is in order.'

Sesshoumaru wound his tail around Kagome like a papoose, then picked her up and carried her into the house. True to Kagome's word, the shield fell as soon as he crossed the threshold and it took all of Sesshoumaru's self control not to rudely drop his soaking wet package to the floor. He shivered as he climbed the steps to Kagome's room, softly closing it behind him and shrugging off his coat.

He left it on the floor, smirking when Kagome sighed and snuggled deeper into her furry blanket. He reached inside her closet for a thin blanket, then sat on the edge of the bed and draped it over his legs. Sesshoumaru sat Kagome in his lap, uncurled his tail from around her and puffed it out to dry. Kagome whimpered slightly from the lack of warmth, then sneezed.

"I told you you would get sick," Sesshoumaru teased as he unsnapped the suspenders. He pulled them off easily, then stared at the shorts and top she was still wearing. 'No wonder she complained,' Sesshoumaru thought as he gently peeled the wet articles away. He ran a slender finger along the shoulder strap of her bra, shaking his head slightly. 'This will have to go to. Too bad. I don't think my tail is completely dry.' Sesshoumaru wrapped the tip of it around her chest, it resembling a furry bandeau top, before slicing through the straps and flinging it behind him.

Kagome began to stir when the tip of Sesshoumaru's tail flickered across her face. "Buyo you stupid cat," she mumbled as she waved it away. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, then tapped her nose with it.

"Stop, you crazy thing you!"

Sesshoumaru bit back a chuckle. 'She's even amusing in her sleep.' He opened a nearby dresser drawer, digging around until he found a nightgown to his liking. It was long; the same purple intensity as her power, with spaghetti straps and slits on either side.

Sesshoumaru's tail snaked around Kagome's arms, holding them up as he slipped the nightgown over her head. It flowed over her figure like water, Sesshoumaru's tail coming from under it to wrap around her wrists. It gently suspended her in the air as Sesshoumaru adjusted the nightgown, the silk settling over her hips to her ankles creating a stunning silhouette.

'Absolutely perfect,' Sesshoumaru mused. Kagome's head lulled to the side, dark wet hair spilling over her shoulder as she slept unawares. Sesshoumaru used the blanket to dry her hair, then lowered her to his arms as he pulled back the covers on the bed. He settled her down tenderly, his gaze constantly on her face as he replaced the sealing spell and tucked her in.

"It would seem that I'm doing this more often."

"Sesshou…"

Sesshoumaru blinked, then looked into Kagome's sleep-heavy eyes. "You should be asleep."

"Would you…"

Sesshoumaru sat down beside her, brushing aside a stray strand of onyx hair. "Would I what?"

She grasped his pinky finger tightly, then yawned. "Would you stay here with me?"

"But Kagome, I have to-"

"Please?"

Sesshoumaru paused, taking the time to think as he observed her hold on him. Her entire hand was wrapped around one finger, something that hadn't happened since Rin was a child. 'She's so…innocent,' he mused as he considered her request. 'How is it possible for a being as powerful as her to remain so pure?'

"Is it the dream again?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome shook her head, blinking slightly. "No, it's just that I'm just a little…oh never mind. You go ahead and do whatever it is you were doing." She rolled over and went back to sleep, curling into a tight ball underneath the blankets.

Sesshoumaru moved to the other side of the bed, kicked off his shoes and tank top, then slipped under the covers beside her. He pulled her closer to him, pleased at her instant reaction as she uncurled and opened her eyes.

"I thought you had something to do."

"I'm doing it."

Kagome sighed, accepting his decision as she rested her forehead against his chest. "This is so out of protocol," she told him with another yawn. Sesshoumaru shrugged, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling his face into her hair. Without another word, they both fell into a blissful, eventless slumber.

Ah and Un materialized beside the piano, dusting a white substance from their hair, clothes and the phone.

"He didn't see us," Ah said into the phone as Un proceeded to wipe away the powder. "The invisible powder worked as always Rin, but was it necessary?"

Un swept the remains in a dustbin, listening to Ah's part of the conversation.

"Well, not a lot happened. Sesshoumaru-sama came in carrying her. Lady Kagome seemed to have stood in the rain for a time. I haven't heard or seen anything else."

Ah blinked, then shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. Sesshoumaru-sama plans for her to go up there, but I don't believe he's ready."

He sighed miserably. He should have known better than to try to talk Rin out of this. "Of course Lady Rin. We will do as you suggest."

"We just hope you can save us from Sesshoumaru-sama's temper," Un called to her. A laugh was heard, then Ah hung up. "We're going to end up in a lot of trouble, aren't we?"

Ah nodded, the shock of white hair drooping slightly as he tugged on the end of his shirt. "If all goes the way Lady Rin planned, then yes. We are."


	24. A Confession of Love and Kagome's Findin...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends. The songs here are Brian McKnight's 'Still In Love', Alicia Key's 'Girlfriend' and Kelis' 'Milkshake'. The quotes on Sesshoumaru's pictures are (in order) Alicia Key's 'Mr. Man', Brian McKnight's 'Crazy Love', John Mayer's (sp?) 'Body is a Wonderland', and Brian McKnight's 'Still In Love'.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Confession of Love and Kagome's Finding

/Tuesday, 7:41 PM, The Kitchen/

Kagome sat at the breakfast bar irritably, sipping what she thought was her thirteenth cup of herbal tea. 'I swear, Ah and Un are trying to drown me," she concluded, setting the cup onto the counter. 'You sniff one time, and they think you're sick.' She sniffed irritably, then sneezed. 'Ok, so there's a slight possibility that I might have a little cold, but I don't need them babying me. Maybe Sesshoumaru could help me with them.'

Kagome pressed the white call button on the wall beside her. "Ah?"

"Yes Kagome?" he called through the P. A. system.

"Have you seen Sesshoumaru?"

"As far as we know of, he's in the dojo."

"Thank you." Kagome jumped from her seat and walked out of the kitchen toward the dojo. She walked into the dojo minutes later, but saw no one inside. 'Then where is he?' She saw movement at the end of the hallway.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He turned, but said nothing as he disappeared beyond the corner to the front room. Kagome ran after him. "Sesshoumaru! Wait!" She stopped in the front room, glancing around wildly for him. Kagome looked to the top of the steps, where Sesshoumaru was rapidly disappearing. "Sesshoumaru! What's wrong?"

Kagome transmitted herself to the second floor hallway, only to watch a door at the other end of the hallway close. Kagome walked up to it cautiously, glancing at the unfamiliar doorway in front of her. It was a simple pine wood door, with an indigo glass doorknob. Kagome turned it and opened the door, revealing a small stairway. Kagome glanced behind her, and then started to climb, closing the door behind her. The stairway was barely lit, ascending steeply to a foreign part of the house. 'Where is this taking me, and where is Sesshoumaru?'

Kagome came to a stop at a door beside her, figuring it to be the third floor. 'Perhaps he went in here.' A slam resounded from above as Kagome touched the doorknob. 'Well, that crushes that idea, doesn't it?' Kagome turned away from the door, climbing the rest of the way to another indigo blue glass doorknob at the top of the stairs.

Kagome turned it as well, not surprised to find herself in the attic. "Sesshoumaru?" she whispered, stepping past boxes and crates as she ventured deeper into the dusty room. "Are you in here? If you are, then stop playing and come out." Kagome scowled when she received no answer. "Don't make me fry you!"

A light streamed from in front of her, flooding her body and blinding her at the same time. "What in the world…" Kagome grumbled, walking closer to the light.

Kagome gaped when she stepped onto a balcony. It seemed to be in the back of the house, overlooking the vast garden near the wine cellar. "Wow, how pretty," she said, stepping closer to the white marble railing and closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, then opened her eyes and turned around.

On either side of the balcony doors stood six easels, three on either side. Each had it's own giant sketchpad and pencils, but there seemed to be only one stool between them. Kagome walked toward the nearest one, one in a group of three on the right side of the balcony.

"I wonder whose this is," Kagome questioned aloud as she flipped the cover away. The first page was blank, but the second page surprised her. It was a drawing of her, a rather good one, on the first day she met Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. Chapter Reference: I'm Not Just a Girl

'Oh wow.' Kagome smiled, lightly tracing the pencil version of herself. 'It's like it's from Sesshoumaru's point of view or something.' She reached to flip to the next page when she found words in the bottom right hand corner.

Something about the way you smiled at me just drove me wild. I wish I could know if you're alone. I don't want to cramp your style. But I cannot deny feeling what I felt when I looked into your eyes...

'Is this Sesshoumaru's handwriting?' Kagome wondered as she mentally went through the few times he wrote something around her. 'It is! Is he talking about…me?' She turned the page, finding a sketch of her from above, the day she used her levitation to keep him from taking on a S. U. V. Her pencil self was smiling up at the sky, or perhaps someone. There were words on the bottom of this one as well. (Chapter Reference: Play Time)

I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles and the heavens open every time she smiles…

Kagome blushed, but kept going, this time finding a sketch of her sleeping.

We have the afternoon. You have this room for two. The one thing I've left to do, is discover me discovering you. One mile to every inch and your skin like porcelain. One pair of candy lips and your bubblegum tongue…

The blush darkened on Kagome's cheeks, turning a feint pink into a near cherry red. She quickly flipped the page, finding a picture of her at Jinsue's ball. Her back was to the drawer, with her casting a sly smile over her shoulder. She had a glass of wine in her hand. This picture was in great detail, with everything to the rhinestone triangle to the metal ends of her heels in place. 'Wow, this must be his favorite,' Kagome concluded as she read the bottom.

I think I must be dreaming; that you are here with me. I must have died and gone to heaven. And it's all that I hoped it would be…

Kagome smiled at this, her heart suddenly lightened as her stomach did tiny flips. 'How sweet. Is that how he feels about me?' Kagome sighed, stepping back to stare into empty space. 'Yeah right. Like he would. But still…wouldn't it be nice if he did…' Kagome reached out to turn the page, but froze as footsteps approached from inside the attic. 'Oh no!' Kagome panicked, forgetting that she was looking for Sesshoumaru. 'I can't let him find me up here. He might not have wanted me to see these!' Kagome quickly closed the book, then transmitted herself to the living room just as Sesshoumaru stepped onto the balcony.

'That's strange,' Sesshoumaru glanced around him, then shrugged and turned to go back downstairs. 'Ah said that Kagome was up here. I wonder where she is.'

/_Wednesday 6:45 AM, The Kitchen /_

Sesshoumaru stopped beside the kitchen door, listening as Kagome giggled from inside.

"They were beautiful," she said wistfully. "You guys should have seen them."

"I'm sure they were," Ah said. Sesshoumaru stood in the threshold, clearing his throat to gain their attention. "What was beautiful?"

"Um," Kagome stammered, fiddling with her coffee cup. "Just ah, um…" she glanced at her watch and gasped. "Oh no! I forgot my watch! I'll be right back!" She ran out of the kitchen and down the hallway, leaving Sesshoumaru and Ah to themselves.

"What is so beautiful Ah?" Sesshoumaru questioned, not caring for the shifty look the ryuu youkai was giving him. "Why Sesshoumaru-sama, I don't know what you-"

"Do not lie." A fang protruded from Sesshoumaru's mouth, the first and last warning as Sesshoumaru asked again "What is so beautiful?"

"The lady Kagome was looking for you yesterday," Ah said, cracking just a little too easily for Sesshoumaru's taste. "And she stumbled into the attic."

Sesshoumaru nodded, starting to understand what was so beautiful. "She saw the drawings, correct?"

"Yes my lord."

"What prompted her to go up there?"

Ah shrugged. "She said she saw you go up there. She's embarrassed."

"Why is that?"

"She's honored, but she feels badly about seeing them without your permission. Please don't be angry with her."

"I'm not," Sesshoumaru assured him, reaching for the cup of tea Ah prepared. "All this means is that I'll have to speed up my plans a bit. That's all." He took a sip, his ears twitching at Kagome's footsteps as they thundered down the stairs. 'It's time to pull a little song and dance,' Sesshoumaru concluded before setting the cup on the counter and walking out of the room.

/11:56 PM, Kagome's Room/

Kagome woke slowly, trying to register what the tiny sound was in the back of her conscience . 'It sounds like,' she reasoned as she sat up and pushed the blankets away from her. 'Piano keys.' Sure enough, there was a small tinking from the front room downstairs, confirming her suspicions. 'I'd better go see what that is, even though I doubt it's a burglar here to play Bach.' She quietly walked across the floor to the door, stopping before the full length mirror hung behind it.

'Well,' Kagome thought as she eyed the burgundy tank top and boy shorts. 'I suppose this is fine, but I'd better stay barefoot. I think it would be a good idea to take one of the dagger sets though.' She reached on the vanity for their case, slipping the arm sheath onto her upper arm before opening the door and tip-toeing down the hallway and the first set of steps.

Kagome peered over the railing in front of the stained-glass window, watching as half of Sesshoumaru disappeared into the piano. 'What's he doing down there?' she wondered as an off-key _ping_ squeaked from the piano. 'Is he tuning it? Wow, I didn't know he could play, no less tune the stupid thing. I thought it was just for show.'

Sesshoumaru's head emerged moments later. He tapped a key, frowning at how sharp it was before ducking back under the lid. 'She's up there,' Sesshoumaru realized as he pulled on a string. 'Finally. It's a wonder how humans have survived so long, with the way they sleep. Perhaps she would have been faster if I'd have dropped the lid on my head.' He stood and tried the key again, this time smiling as the correct tone resonated through the air. He sat on the bench in front of it, playing a few bars before frowning slightly.

'What _is_ he doing?' Kagome wondered again as Sesshoumaru experimented with the melody. 'It's like he's trying to figure out something.' Sesshoumaru leaned forward, scribbled a few notes on a sheet and began to play again. He hummed something to the melody, surprising Kagome at how smooth and rich the sound was.

'I wonder what he sounds like when he sings,' Kagome mused, leaning against the railing. She tensed when Sesshoumaru took a deep breathe, thinking for a moment he might catch her scent. 'How ridiculous!' she scolded herself. 'It's not like he's a dog or something!'

Sesshoumaru smirked at her nervousness as it faded from her scent, figuring that now would be as good a time as any to start what he intended. He stared out low enough for Kagome to hear, and soft as he played along.

"I think I must be dreaming; that you are here with me."

Kagome's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth to keep from gasping. 'Oh my God…is he singing? Wait a minute, I've heard this before…'

"I must have died and gone to heaven, and it's all that I hoped it would be.."

'I have!' Kagome realized, her eyes widening impossibly. 'It's on that last picture! It's not a poem, it's a song!'

Sesshoumaru smirk widened at her amazement, but kept his voice soft as he continued. "When the eagles forget how to fly, and it's 20 below in July, and when violets turn red…and roses turn blue…I'll be still in love with you…"

Kagome did gasp this time, a nearly inaudible sound that expressed her awe and astonishment. 'How beautiful…but he can't mean me, can he?'

"I live to be around you. You take my breath away…Can't help but talk about you every night and day…"

Kagome found herself moving toward him, silently walking down the steps to stand a hair's breath behind him.

Sesshoumaru heard each footstep, and managed not to laugh outright at her predictability. "When the eagles forget how to fly and it's twenty below in July, and when violets turn red…and roses turn blue…I'll be still in love with you…"

She reached out to touch him but stopped short, feeling as if she would somehow ruin the mirage if she did. 'There's no way he's sitting here,' Kagome concluded. 'This has to be a dream, a really good dream, no matter how real it feels.'

Sesshoumaru could have growled at her hesitation. 'This human is so stubborn!' He bit down on his pride for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing on.

"All I need is you…Need you just to hold me, console me. Over and over…"

Kagome listened as the piano took over, her hand reaching out for him again. 'Maybe this is real. I can't honestly say that I don't see him singing, or playing any instrument. I mean, he can't be as cold as everyone says he is…can he?'

Sesshoumaru was slowly becoming frustrated with her, deciding to end this before she could run away. "When the eagles forget how to fly and it's twenty below in July, and when violets turn red…and roses turn blue…I'll be still in love with…" Sesshoumaru turned on the bench, stopping before her with a small smile on his face. "Hello Kagome."

Kagome's eyes widened considerably as Sesshoumaru stood up. "How long have you been standing there?"

"I…" Kagome squeaked, suddenly at a loss for words. "I…"

'Well, I would have done this earlier if I'd known she'd actually be quiet for once,' Sesshoumaru thought sardonically as he looked down at her. "I what Kagome?"

"I…I'm sorry."

"For?"

Kagome blushed. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. I didn't know you could sing."

Sesshoumaru smirked, reaching back to close the keyboard cover. "Not a lot of people do. What did you think?"

"Of the song?" Sesshoumaru nodded. "It was beautiful," Kagome replied wistfully, blushing slightly.

"Thank you," Sesshoumaru replied. "But is there something else you want to tell me?"

Kagome paled miserably. 'How is this man always able to look straight through me?' she thought miserably. 'It's like he can see my soul.'

'Her aura's flickering again,' Sesshoumaru noticed as Kagome fidgeted. 'Perhaps she'll tell me today.' "Kagome…"

"I was looking for you yesterday," Kagome began, looking down at her feet. "And somehow ended up in the attic."

"I see," was Sesshoumaru's reply, looking away when she looked up at him. 'Ah, so Ah wasn't lying. '

"I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru!" Kagome cried, wrapping her arms around his waist desperately. "I didn't mean to see them! I was looking for you and IgotlostandIthoughtyouweretryingtogetmelostand-"

"Woah," Sesshoumaru muttered, closing his eyes and holding his palms out in front of him for her to stop. Her speed talking was making even him dizzy, and it took a moment for him to catch his bearings. "Now, I take it you saw the drawings?"

"Yes," she whispered miserably, like a little kid in trouble. Sesshoumaru nodded. "What did you think of them?"

"They were beautiful as well," she answered, her blush back full force. "But aren't you mad?"

"No, I'm not angry." Sesshoumaru tilted her head toward him, watching her pupils dilate when her eyes met his. "It just makes this a little easier."

"Makes what easier?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru sighed, once again biting back his pride to get what he wanted. "To tell you that…I think I'm falling for you Kagome."

Kagome blinked owlishly. "Huh?"

'Well, that wasn't what I was expecting,' Sesshoumaru thought as he repressed an annoyed sigh. 'Why does she have to be difficult?' "I don't know when it started, but I'm falling in love with you."

"Are you serious?" Sesshoumaru couldn't help but rub his temples at that, wondering to himself where the smart young woman that was standing in his arms a couple of seconds ago ran off to. "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru. It's just a little hard to believe."

"And why is that?"

Kagome shrugged. "I just don't seem like someone you would want."

"Do you really think so?" Sesshoumaru drawled. He tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth, mentally smirking when her eyes slid closed. 'There's my girl. That's right. You can believe everything I say.' "Do you still think I wouldn't want you?"

"I…I don't know…"

"But I do." Sesshoumaru pulled back and away from her, a gentle and shy smile on his lips. "I can't help how I feel Kagome. I just want to know how you feel about me."

"I…I…" Kagome stopped, her bottom lip firmly between her teeth. "I don't-"

"Then at least let me show you how I feel." Sesshoumaru brought his lips closer to hers, and was seconds from kissing her when she disappeared. He blinked once, twice, and then growled softly. 'Why is she being so difficult?' he mentally snarled, his demeanor calm even as his youki swirled around him in smoky tendrils of red and gold.

"I'm beginning to hate that technique…"

Ah and Un watched as Sesshoumaru walked out of the front room, then shook the invisible powder from their clothes again. "No Rin, we're still alive," Ah said after he and Un were assured of Sesshoumaru's whereabouts. "But you're plan didn't go like you thought it would."

Un walked out of the room and came back with a small dusting broom and pan. He swept up the powder as Ah explained what happened. "Well, they almost kissed-"

"_Almost?!!!!_" was the squeak from the other end. Ah winced, then nodded. "Yes my lady. But Lady Kagome left before he could.

"Oh for the love of-" was the exasperated cry from the other end. "I can't believe the two of them." Ah nodded briefly from the other end, then hung up the phone.

"What did she say?" Un asked as he lifted the pan from the floor. Ah sighed, shook his head and said

"She's going to handle the two of them tomorrow. She has her own idea."

Un groaned, slapping a powdery hand to his forehead. "Oh great," he moaned despondently. He removed his hand, half of his forehead disappearing as he shook his head. "To use Lady Kagome's words, we are so dead."

/Thursday 7:05 PM, The Dojo/

Rin stood in the door of the dojo, watching Kagome as she stretched before her training exercises dressed in a simple violet tube top and a pair of gray wide-legged cotton pants. 'Wow,' she admired as Kagome dropped into a split. 'Who would have thought she would be so flexible. Well, it's now or never.'

"Kagome-onee-chan!"

Kagome looked up, smiling as Rin walked toward her. "Hey Rin! How are you?"

"I'm good! How was the ball?"

Kagome sighed. "Boring."

"Oh." Rin giggled. "Sorry about that. Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure," Kagome said, standing back up and dusting her hands clean. "What can I do you for?"

"Huh? Oh…I get it. That's pretty cool."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks. Now…" she gestured for Rin to continue.

"Right! Um, I saw in your file that you took some dance, so I was wondering if you could teach me."

"Sure, I'd be glad too! What do you need to know?"

"Well," Rin started, scratching her neck thoughtfully. "I'm going to the club with my friends at the end of this week so…"

Kagome nodded. "Oooo…I get it. Yeah, I can help you. But, how do you dance now?"

Rin swallowed, then braced herself. 'Remember Rin, this is for Sesshoumaru-sama. She's really nice, Sesshoumaru-sama deserves someone nice and one moment of total embarrassment won't kill you.' Rin fisted her hands and started running in place. Kagome blinked, her eyes rounding as Rin did the strangest Running Man to date.

"Woah," Kagome said after a few seconds. "Just stop right there. Never do that again."

'Oh trust me,' Rin thought with a sheepish grin. 'You don't have to worry about that.' "See, I need help."

"I see. Well, it's not that hard to dance," Kagome told her as she moved to stand beside her. "You just have to forget that there are other people around you, unless you get off on that kind of thing. When I first learned to dance, I had to lose myself in the music. You know, let the music move you instead of you moving to the music."

"Got you," Rin said, watching Kagome spread her feet shoulder-length apart before copying her. Kagome raised her right hand, motioning for Rin to do the same. "What helped me was pretending that there was a string connecting my hand to my hips. If my hand went side to side-" Kagome demonstrated, swaying from side to side along with her hand. "Then that's the way my body went. If I held my palm out and pushed-" she did so, her hips snapping forward before settling back in place. "And so on. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good." Kagome moved to the stereo and pressed play. As the music began, she started to bop her head. "This is a slow one, so this should be good to begin with. You ready?"

Your girlfriend…

"Yeah, I'm ready," Rin said. "OK," Kagome replied. "Every song has a base beat. All you have to do is find it. Do you hear it?"

"Yeah."

"Then bop your head."

Maybe silly for me to feel this way about you and her.

Rin started to bop along with Kagome, smiling back at Kagome's smile of approval.

Cause I know she's been such a good friend and I know she has helped you through

"OK, now for ever two bops, shift your weight to one foot. Ready?" Rin nodded. "OK, start!"

Talkin' late on the phone every night you've been callin'. And our moments alone means your heart could be fallin'.

"Good Rin!" Kagome chirped. Rin smiled, starting to get the hang of things.

And I know she's a friend but I can't shake the feelin' that I could be losin' your heart.

"Now stop bopping your head and move your hips," Kagome instructed, demonstrating. Rin picked up quickly, paying close attention to Kagome as she started to feel the music.

I think I'm jealous of your girlfriend although she's just a girl that is your friend. I think I'm jealous of your girlfriend. She shares a special part of you.

"That's good Rin!" Kagome chirped. "Your better at this than I thought you would be!"

"Thanks!" Rin replied back. 'Jeez, I'm actually starting to have fun! This may not be so bad after all!'

You said that she's the one who helped you see how deep you're in love with me.

"Now move your arms," Kagome said, swaying from side to side. Rin copied the moves, forgetting for the time being her plan. She and Kagome leaned toward each other, then leaned back and away before giggling.

"That's great Rin! I don't think you needed my help at all!"

Intentions were not to get in-between but I see possibilities. And you say that you feel I'm the best thing in your life. And I know it's real cause I see it in your eyes.

"Alright Rin!" Kagome cheered as Rin began to improvise. "Not bad at all!"

There's no reason for me to even feel this way and you just enjoy her company. I think I'm jealous of your girlfriend …

Kagome swayed her hand side to side, as did Rin as the song continued until the end. Kagome cheered, hugging Rin as Rin smiled back at her. "You're better than you think you are. How about another song?"

"Well…"

"Please?" Kagome begged. "I've been stuck here with your father! You're the first female I've talked to in months! Please?" Kagome gave her the puppy-dog look, and Rin relented.

"Alright."

"Yes!" Kagome scampered, running to the cd player and turning up the volume. "Why'd you do that?" Rin asked, remembering how angry Sesshoumaru would get when she trained with her music full blast.

"That's a fraction of how loud it will be in the club," Kagome replied as she flipped through the songs. "Ooo! Here's a good one!"

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and they're like 'it's better than yours'. Damned right it's better than yours. I could teach you but I have to charge.

"Ooo! I love that song!" Rin exclaimed as she and Kagome began to dance. "How did you get it so early?"

"My brother somehow," Kagome answered. "I don't ask, he doesn't tell, and I don't arrest him."

I know you want it. The thing that makes me. What the guys go crazy for. They lose their minds. The way I rhyme. I think it's time.

Rin watched as Kagome moved to the beat, her hips swaying as if possessed by the song. "Wow, you're good."

"Thanks," Kagome grinned back. "If you see anything you don't get, hook your fingers in my belt loops and hold on."

"OK."

la-la, la-la la. Warm it up. la-la, la-la la. The boys are waiting .

Kagome watched Rin a moment, then closed her eyes, mouthing the words to the song as she danced. He movements became smoother, more fluid as she tipped her head back and unknowingly used her power to turn the volume up.

I can see you on it. You want me to teach the..

'What on earth is that?' Sesshoumaru wondered, pushing away from his desk to listen clearly. 'I bet Rin is in the dojo. How many times do I have to tell her to keep it down?' He left his study, walking down the hall to the dojo. He stopped in the threshold, watching in astonishment as Kagome and Rin continued without noticing him.

Kagome danced in a circle, pivoting on one foot as her hand swirled above her head, her hips responding in kind. Rin stopped a moment to watch, then tried to do the same thing.

Techniques that freaks these boys. It can't be bought. Just do what you're taught.

Kagome's hand slid down the length of her body slowly, stopping at the waist of her pants.

Watch if you're smart…

Her hips suddenly sprang to life, dipping low before snapping from side to side. Rin watched, shrugged, and grasped her belt loops in an attempt to get a feel for the dance. Sesshoumaru by now had dismissed Rin from the entire equation, watching Kagome as Rin looked up at him.

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and they're like 'it's better than yours'. Damned right it's better than yours. I could teach you but I have to charge…

Rin glanced at Kagome before silently gesturing Sesshoumaru to come over. Sesshoumaru shook his head at first, then sighed and walked over. Kagome danced on unaware as Rin looped Sesshoumaru's fingers into Kagome's belt loops.

"Hang on" Rin mouthed with an evil grin, stepping back and glancing at her purse; it still sitting by the door. 'I hope it's getting all this.'

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and they're like 'it's better than yours'. Damned right it's better than yours. I could teach you but I have to charge.

Kagome's thoughts were still on last night, and Sesshoumaru's declaration. 'What did I run away like that for? I bet he thinks I'm a total twit now.' She frowned, then smiled. 'I'm tired of embarrassing myself in front of him. Next time I see him, no matter what, I'm going to be cool, calm and collected.' It was then that she found herself sitting on someone's knee. 'What the hell? Rin's a little close, isn't she? Wait a minute…' Her smile turned evil, and she ducked her head down to keep from being noticed.

'I know who this is…'

Once you get involved everyone will look this way so

The music deteriorated, and Rin bit back a giggle as Kagome's movements turned erotic. Kagome reached up and pulled her hair out of the ponytail as Sesshoumaru pulled her closer to him. He too became lost in the rhythm, though not the song as Kagome's hips brushed against his.

You must maintain your charm. Same time maintain your halo.

Rin bit her lip, barely registering the pain as she moved to stand in front of Kagome, making sure not to stand between her and the purse. Her eyes widened when Kagome opened hers, and a wide smile spread across her face when Kagome winked at her and closed them again. 'She knows he's back there!' Rin cheered. 'Uncle Yasha's gonna be so proud!'

Just give the perfect laugh.

Kagome thought for a moment that Rin would squeal, but mentally shrugged when she didn't say a word. She raised her arms above Sesshoumaru's head, her fingers locking together as she bent her knees and leaned her head against his shoulder.

Then, next his eyes will squint.

She was practically riding his leg, Sesshoumaru noticed before firmly grasping her hips and closing the distance between them. 'No wonder dance was outlawed in France so long ago,' Sesshoumaru's brain fluttered as Kagome's gyrations sent jolt after jolt to Sesshoumaru's groin. 'It's public rutting, in a sense.'

Then he's picked up your scent.

Sesshoumaru ran his nose along the side of Kagome's neck, all logical thought lost to the wind as Kagome continued. She could have laughed out loud at his behavior…if she hadn't been breathless at his closeness. Every cell in her brain screamed 'Danger! This plan is backfiring! Fall back immediately!!' but her body wouldn't listen. Soon they both forgot about Rin as the music faded to a stop.

Kagome opened her eyes slowly, gazing into Sesshoumaru's clouded ones before smiling. "Why Sesshoumaru, if you wanted a lap dance, all you had to do was ask."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as Rin's mouth dropped. 'Uncle Yasha's going to be _real _proud when he sees this,' Rin thought as Sesshoumaru turned Kagome to face him.

"I think the best things are unexpected," Sesshoumaru whispered, then pressed his lips to hers. Kagome blinked but kissed him back, opening her mouth when he licked her bottom lip.

One must remember that there is only so much a person can take, before the excitement of seeing a plan come together floods their good sense and judgment. For Rin, that time was three seconds into the kiss.

"OH MY GOD!! YOU GUYS ARE _SOOOO_ CUTE!!!"

In a wink of an eye Kagome was gone, leaving Sesshoumaru and a very befuddled Rin standing in the dojo. "Where did she go?" Rin asked, glancing around the room quickly. Sesshoumaru sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Most likely in her room, doing an impressive impersonation of a tomato."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said softly. "I didn't know she could do that."

"You are almost as bad as you're uncle." He gave her a slight smile at her distress. "But all is fine Rin. She will come down eventually."

"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" Rin asked, giving him a shy hug. Sesshoumaru nodded. "I'm sure. Now you should be on your way, correct?"

"Oh yeah! I forgot!" Rin dashed away, grabbing her purse before bolting out the door. "Bye Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Sesshoumaru waved, shook his head, then turned off the cd player and returned to his study.

Rin jumped in her car, but didn't start it. She reached for her purse instead, pulling out a digital camcorder. She retrieved the disk and popped it into her laptop, sending the contents via v-mail as she picked up her cell phone and dialed.

"Hey Uncle Yasha!" Rin chirped. "How are you?"

"Fine Rin," he replied. "Speaking that you've pulled me out of a very boring chick flick. How can I repay you?"

"Who else is with you?"

"Marshal Houshi, why?"

"Get to your laptop quick! I've sent you something." Rin waited patiently, listening as a set of car doors closed on the other end of the phone.

"Now what?"

"Get your e-mail!" Rin chirped, her excitement growing by leaps and bounds. Inuyasha sighed. "Alright, alright. Jeez, how much sugar have you had today?"

"Just do it," Rin grumbled. Inuyasha 'Feh!'ed but did as she requested. "Hey, what's this?"

"Open it." She could hear herself talking on the other end a few minutes later. "Fast-forward through that. You'll know where to stop."

Inuyasha did as she asked, he and the other marshal's "oooo" of appreciation signifying that he'd found what Rin was talking about. "Hold on Uncle Yasha. It gets better."

"You mean it can get better than this?" was the reply from the other end. "Who's the hottie dancing with Kagome?" came the marshal's reply.

"That's my niece, pervert!"

"Oh, well then. Shame on her for dancing like that! What kind of 18-She is 18, right?"

"You don't have a chance Miroku."

"You wound me Inu-"

"IS THAT SESSHOUMARU??!!"  
  
All went quiet on the other end, and for a moment Rin thought she'd lost the connection. "Uncle Yasha?"

"Rin," Inuyasha whispered, obviously floored into submission. "You are a true goddess. How did you _get _this?"

"My secret. Now about my payment."

"I'm sending you one of those MasterCard gift cards as we speak. Don't worry, it'll be more than enough."

"Hell, I don't think you have enough for what she's given you," came the marshal's reply. Rin giggled. "So you like?"

"Rin, I love. You've given me enough to blackmail Puff and Stuff for the next 1000 years."

Rin smiled, knowing that Inuyasha would most likely hold true to his word. "It's my pleasure Uncle Yasha. Now I've got to go. Aren't you supposed to be coming to town this week?"

"Yeah, tomorrow in fact. Fluffy and I have a client dinner to go to. I hate those bloody things."

"Me too, that's why I'm glad I'm not going. Well, see you tomorrow."

"Alright Rin. Bai-Bai."

"Bai-Bai Uncle Yasha!"

/Friday 1:04 AM, Sesshoumaru's Room/

(Missing Part)

Sesshoumaru's eyes flew open, then he let loose a string of curses that would have put Inuyasha to shame. 'Damn it to hell!' he snarled, breathing deeply to calm his racing heart. He sat up, glaring at the door connecting his room to Kagome's before sighing. 'It's not her fault…wait a minute. Yes it is!' He shook his head, finding the need to blame someone for his hormonal reaction childish and futile.

'But it was a lovely dream, while it lasted,' Sesshoumaru thought with a smirk. Then he frowned, the subject of dreams reminding him of Kagome and the sash tied to her bedpost.

'Should I be concerned?' he asked himself. 'After all, the mere fact that she continuously has this dream should mean something. And from the way she told it, my dream self knows of my plans for her. Could he somehow ruin them?'

"Keh," Sesshoumaru snorted, folding his arms and peering out the balcony doors beside him. 'Why should I worry. So what if I burned my gi years ago. I might have missed one.' Sesshoumaru nodded for effect. 'And so what if she dreams about me, even if she doesn't know it? I see no reason to worry, and no reason to tell her. All will go as it should. Naraku will die by my hands, Inuyasha and his wench will ride off into the sunset, and Kagome will stay here with me.' Sesshoumaru fluffed his pillow, then rested his head. 'Her dreams are nothing but her silly fears of the past. Nothing will go wrong.'

'And we all know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and youkai…'

/1:03 PM, The Emerald City/

Sesshoumaru waited patiently for Kagome to come back from the mailroom, his mind still inside the dream from last night. 'I wonder if she would be like that for real' he mused with a genuine smile at the thought. 'It would be more fun to teach her, but her already knowing would make it easier for me.'

"Mr. Takamada," CiCi called into the intercom.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Hitame is on the lobby floor. Should I send him up?"

"Please do so," Sesshoumaru told her as Kagome walked into the room. "Thank you."

"You're welcome Mr. Takamada."

Kagome closed the door, turning to tell Sesshoumaru something when her gaze locked on his. There was something different in his eyes, something animalistic, and Kagome shivered in spite of herself. "Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes Kagome?" he drawled, his smile widening when she shivered again.

"Um." She stopped. "What did I want to say to you?" she asked herself, nibbling on her bottom lip. Sesshoumaru watched her impassively, though he couldn't smolder the fire in his gaze.

"Come here Kagome. I need to tell you something."

Kagome walked over to him, tripping over a bunched up part of the carpet on Sesshoumaru's side of the desk. She stumbled and fell in his lap, and Sesshoumaru; not being ready for once in his life; slipped out of the chair and they both landed on the floor with a thud.

"Ow…" Kagome moaned, pushing on Sesshoumaru's chest. "Get off."

"I kinda like were I am, thank you very much."

Kagome groaned miserably. "Why do I always have to embarrass myself in front of you?"

Sesshoumaru patted her knee soothingly. "I don't know, but I don't mind."

"I'm sure you don't. By the way, could you remove yourself from between my legs?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No. I told you, I like where I am."

"Don't make me zap you."

Sesshoumaru kissed her neck, smiling against it when she gasped. "I don't believe you'll do that dove."

"Hey Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha called as he came into the room.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Oh my God, is that who I think it is?"

"Kagome!" Sango called. "Hey, is anyone here!"

Inuyasha sniffed around discretely, then nodded. 'Yup, they're here, and close too.'

"Get off!"

Inuyasha blinked, wondering where the whisper came from.

"I'm going to hurt you Sesshoumaru, I swear!"

Inuyasha tip-toed to the desk at the back of the room, spying a black pump by the file cabinet. 'hmmmm….' Inuyasha sat on one edge of the desk, then peered down at Sesshoumaru and Kagome on the other side. "Are you two through, or do you need a minute?"

Inuyasha smirked at Kagome's blush, then laughed outright when she shoved Sesshoumaru to the side and struggled to her feet. "Have you seen my shoe?" she asked Inuyasha as Sango and Miroku gawked.

"Over there."

"Thanks." She hopped toward it and put it on as Sesshoumaru sat back into his seat. "I swear it's not what it looks like," Kagome said, her hands up innocently. Inuyasha and the others turned to Sesshoumaru, who shrugged.

"She can't keep her hands off me."

"Ooooo!" Kagome growled, becoming absolutely livid at his statement. "Tell them the truth!"

"I just did."

Kagome stopped, took a deep breath, and smiled at Sango. "How are you Sango?"

"Not as well as you, I'm afraid," Sango laughed as they hugged, 'oomph'ing when Kagome nudged her in the side.

"Ignore Sesshoumaru," Kagome said as she dusted herself off. "He's being a prick today. I fell and made him fall. How are you guys?"

"We're fine," Miroku said with a lecherous grin. "And we're so glad to see you."

"Well, I'm glad to see you too. What are you guys here for?"

"Inuyasha and I have a business meeting tonight," Sesshoumaru said as he straightened his tie. "That was what I was trying to tell you, before you became amorous and tackled me."

Kagome's eyes narrowed, and Inuyasha started laughing. "Yeah, I hate it when girls get like that. Don't you Miroku?"

"Yeah," Miroku's grin widened as everyone stared at the two in confusion. Kagome shrugged, then turned to Sango. "How long will you guys be here?"

"Just until tonight, then we're going back to Jacksonville. So," Sango whispered, leaning closer to Kagome. "How are things between you and Mr. Takamada?"

Kagome blushed and sighed. "I'll tell you later."

"Tell us what?" Inuyasha asked from Sesshoumaru's desk, he and Miroku grinning from ear to ear. Kagome shook her head. "Nothing."

"Oh well." Inuyasha stood up and adjusted his suit jacket. "We actually wanted to see if you two wanted to go to lunch with us. CiCi said you hadn't gone yet."

"I suppose we could go with you," Sesshoumaru agreed.

"Good," Inuyasha said as he and Miroku walked toward the door. "Because I'm looking forward to a milkshake, aren't you Miroku?"

"Damn straight," Miroku said, his shoulders shaking at Kagome's pale. "One with a lot of shake too!"

They both howled as they walked out, leaving Kagome mortified, Sesshoumaru bewildered, and Sango questioning their sanity. "Let me go see what their problem is," Sango muttered, following them out the door.

"Yes, I think I will as well," Sesshoumaru replied moments later, leaving Kagome to gather his papers. "I will return shortly."

Inuyasha and Miroku were still laughing as the elevator doors closed when Sesshoumaru jerked Inuyasha out at the last minute.

"Who told?"

Inuyasha blinked, then quieted. "No one told. I saw. Miroku did too, so you can't kill us."

Sesshoumaru shook him, but it only resulted in more hysterics from the hanyou. "How?"

Inuyasha pulled a disk from his breast pocket. "This is how! Not so fast!" Inuyasha said, yanking the disk out of Sesshoumaru's reach. "You can have it, if you tell me one thing."

"What?"

"How's her milkshake? Have you tasted it yet?" Inuyasha howled again when Sesshoumaru paled. Sesshoumaru snatched the disk out of Inuyasha's hands, crushed it, and tossed the pieces at him as the elevator doors opened. He shoved Inuyasha inside and walked away, ignoring his laughter as he went back to his office.

Kagome looked up at him as he walked in. She stood behind his desk, gathering up the necessary papers and tucking them into his briefcase.

"Please tell me something good."

Sesshoumaru shook his head and shut the door behind him. "It is a sad day when your child turns against you."

"Oh my God," Kagome gasped, sitting on Sesshoumaru's desk and ducking her face behind her hands. "And Miroku saw it too! I'll never live it down."

"Don't be like that," Sesshoumaru cajoled, gently peeling her hands away as he stood in front of her. "I'm sure he'll forget soon."

"You don't know Miroku! He's bound to make copies somehow and spread them across the glo-" She stopped when Sesshoumaru kissed her, blinking when he pulled away.

"Are you calm now?" he asked. Kagome nodded dumbly. "Good." He kissed her again, pleased when for once she didn't run away. He made no attempts to deepen it, but allowed her to become used to the idea before pulling back.

"I meant what I said Kagome," Sesshoumaru whispered in her ear, holding her close to his chest to keep her from pulling a 'poof' on him. "I truly am in love with you."

"But-"

"I can understand if you don't feel the same way…" 'Though you do…' "But don't ask me to reconsider because of protocol. I can wait as long as you need me to."

Kagome nodded.

"Does that mean you believe me?"

"I guess so."  
  
"I'm so honored," Sesshoumaru grumbled good-naturedly, smiling as Kagome laughed. "Now seriously."

"Seriously?" Kagome repeated, her finger to her lip. "I believe you. But are you sure?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru hugged her. "I'm very sure, my dove. But could you ever feel the same for me?"

Kagome frowned a moment as her thoughts warred inside her head. After a moment, she nodded. "I…I think that I could, if given some time."

"Good," Sesshoumaru replied, a triumphant smirk on his lips as he nuzzled her neck. "That's all I wanted to hear."


	25. A Sword Sharper Than the Tongue

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Five: A Sword Sharper than the Tongue

__

/Nov. 27, 6:04 PM/

"Kagome-chan?"

Kagome paused, then glanced at the p. a. system near her bed. 'Kagome-_chan? _Since when did the twins call me that?'

"Yes?"

"This is Ah. Could you meet Un and I near the kitchen. There is something we need to discuss."

Kagome sighed. 'I wonder what it is this time,' Kagome thought as she transported herself to them. She appeared beside the kitchen door, with Ah and Un on either side. "What's going on fell-"

"Shhh…" they prompted, pressing their fingers to their lips. They pointed to the kitchen, then to their ears. "Listen."

Kagome did so, peering inside to see what was so interesting. Sesshoumaru sat at the breakfast bar, sipping a cup of tea and arguing with Inuyasha over the speakerphone.

"I said I don't want a party this year," Sesshoumaru grumbled.

"And why not?"

Sesshoumaru glared at the phone. "I don't want one if you're planning it."

A pause, then "Are you still mad about the stripper?"

Sesshoumaru tensed as Kagome turned to Ah and Un. "What's he talking about?" Kagome whispered.

Ah sighed in long suffering. "Hitame-san planned Takamada-sama's party two years ago. He hired a stripper."

"What's so bad about that?"

"It was a male stripper," Un told her. "As a matter of fact, I remember there being five of them."

"And a lot of important clientele were at the party too. So you understand Takamada-sama's trepidation."

Kagome nodded, her eyes widened slightly. "Yeah. I think I can. Poor guy."

"That's what we called you down here for," Ah said as Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha continued to argue. "We want Takamada-sama to have a party this year, but he won't as long as he believes that Hitame-san will somehow mess things up."

"And how do I add up in all of this?" Kagome asked. Ah and Un grinned at her. "You're going to convince him to have one."

"And how am I supposed to do that? And what makes you two think I can?!"

"Shh…." they hissed. Kagome blushed, remembering that they weren't supposed to be so loud as Ah and Un glanced into the kitchen. "We want you to tell him that you'll help us arrange everything."

"But I don't know how to plan a party," Kagome replied. "I'd make a mess of things!"

"You're not really going to help," Un assured her. Ah nodded. "We just want you to put Takamada-sama's mind at ease."

Kagome sighed at the hopeful looks on their faces. "You're not going to leave me alone until I do, right?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Kagome shook her head. "Alright, I'll try. You guys stay here."

Kagome walked into the kitchen just as Sesshoumaru turned around. "I said no Inuyash-Kagome," he pulled her closer to him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine Sesshoumaru," Kagome answered with a blush.

"Hey Kagome!" Inuyasha called from his end of the line. "How are you?"

"I'm good. What's going on?"

"I'm trying to convince Fluffy-sama there to have a birthday party this year. Think you can help me out."

"I sure can." She winked at Sesshoumaru, who quirked his brow curiously. "But you're not planning it."

"What?!! Why not?"

"Because Ah, Un and I are throwing it this year. There won't be any of your stunts. Shame on you, by the way! What kind of guy gets his brother male strippers for his birthday party?"

Inuyasha burst into hoots of laughter, gasping for air as Kagome scowled at the phone. "Don't make me come down there," Kagome threatened. Inuyasha only laughed harder.

"Come down here. It'll take you at least three hours to get here."

"No," Kagome said, waving her hand and drawing a pink circle in mid air. "I don't think so. Inuyasha come!" Inuyasha stood in the kitchen seconds later, blinking owlishly as Kagome grabbed him by his collar and jerked him down to her level.

"You listen here Inuyasha," Kagome growled; a rather intimidating one for a human. "I'm going to be in charge of this party this year. You can come but if I see anyone, and I mean _anyone,_ in rip away leather pants, you're ass is grass. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good." He was gone seconds later, leaving Kagome with a satisfied smirk on her face. Sesshoumaru chuckled softly, embracing her from behind as he pressed his lips to her temple. "That was rather impressive," he whispered, smirking when Kagome blushed at his closeness. "I didn't know you could do that."

"It's a new technique," Kagome answered back. Her fingers traced his timidly, watching as they tapped against her waist. "I've been working on it for a while."

"I'm sure Inuyasha's impressed. You must show me how to do it." Kagome's blush deepened. "Sure Sesshoumaru. Anytime."

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru turned her to face him, his finger hooked under her chin. He brought her gaze to his, staring into cloudy, starlight eyes as he kissed the bridge of her nose. "Have you thought any of what I said?"

Kagome nodded quietly. "I have."

"And?"

"And I don't know what to say."

Sesshoumaru looked away, allowing his disappointment to show on his face. "I…see."

"It's not the way you're thinking!" Kagome replied quickly, tugging his face back to hers. "It's just that…I don't know what to think." She sighed at Sesshoumaru's confusion. "I know I feel something for you, and that I care for you as more than a friend, but I don't want to tell you something I don't mean. I want to be sure. Understand?"

"I believe so, yes," Sesshoumaru muttered. He fumed on the inside, mentally growling his frustration as he imagined shaking her until she came to her senses. 'No, I will be patient,' Sesshoumaru thought as he calmed. He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, then smiled down on her. "I will wait a little longer then," Sesshoumaru told her as he released her. "But remember: I can't wait forever."

'Well, I could, but no need of her knowing that,' Sesshoumaru thought as he left the room. Ah and Un came in moments later, finding Kagome sitting at the breakfast bar with her forehead in her hand.

"What did he say?" Un asked. Kagome sighed and nodded. "He's for it, I guess, as long as Inuyasha doesn't plan it."

"That's great!" they exclaimed. They promptly began discussing arrangements, leaving Kagome somewhere inside her mind. They're conversation fluttered to her, but otherwise did nothing to derail her train of thought.

'Why can't I tell him how I feel,' Kagome asked herself as the twins began to argue. 'I mean, I do love him. I'm not entirely sure when I started to, but I do. I just…' she sighed. 'I don't want my heart broken I suppose. But he's been nothing but patient and understanding. He went out on a limb telling me how he feels, so why can't I?'

"Why not get him an invisible talisman?" Ah asked. Un shook his head. "Nope. What would he need with that?"

She shook her head, barely aware that the twins were now talking of presents. 'It's like something's telling me not to, but why? Am I just that afraid?'

"Well, how about a dragon's egg?'

"Why would we give him something like that?"

'What I need is a way to let him know how I feel without actually saying it," Kagome concluded as she focused on Ah and Un's conversation.

Ah nodded absently. "Ah yes. Good point."

"I know," Un replied. "How about a flying horse?"

"Flying horse?" Ah and Un paled, then turned to their forgotten spectator. Kagome glared at the both of them, her hands on her hips as she said "Well?"

"Um, Kagome-chan-"

Un nudged Ah viciously. "Kagome, I believe you heard us wrong."

"Don't lie to me," Kagome scolded. "I can tell it when you lie. You guys know magic don't you?"

"Something like that," Ah muttered.

"What was that?"

"Yes Kagome, we do," Un answered, glaring at Ah. Kagome cleared her throat, regaining their attention. "And just when were you going to tell me?"

"Um, when you asked?"

Kagome scowled, then waved it aside. "So what are you two planning on giving him?"

Ah and Un breathed a sigh of relief, then continued to argue. "What about a new weapon?"

Un shook his head. "Nope. He has hundreds of those. Besides, what kind could we give him?"

'Wait a minute…' Kagome gasped, her eyes wide as she snapped her fingers. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Ah asked as he and Un watched a grin spread across Kagome's face.

"I'm starting to question her sanity," Un mumbled as Kagome began to tap the air with her fingers.

"Me too."

"That's perfect!" Kagome exclaimed. Kagome turned to them as a book appeared in her hands. "OK guys!" she said as she flipped through the pages. "I need a little help. Ah, could you please tell me where Sesshoumaru is?"

"Alright." Ah spread his aura, feeling for the taiyoukai. "He's in the study, as usual Kagome-chan."

"Good." Kagome continued to search the book, muttering under her breath as she did so. "Now this is what I need you two to do," she said finally. "Ah-ha!" she shouted, then blushed when the twins winced. "Oh, um, I need to use the servant tunnels."

"Nope," Un said, the shock of white hair flipping wildly as he shook his head. "Not allowed."

"Why not?"

"Not even Lady Rin is allowed in the servant tunnels," Ah informed her. Kagome pouted slightly. "Please? At least the tunnels leading from the ballroom to the living room? That is where you guys are setting up the party, right?"

"Actually," Ah admitted. "We haven't gotten that far. But that is a good idea."

"And you thought you wouldn't be of any use!" Un chirped. Kagome smiled, then turned serious. "The servant tunnels?"

"Well…." Ah an Un exchanged glances, seeming to have a mental battle between each other before looking at Kagome. "What's your plan?"

"Promise not to tell Sesshoumaru?"

"If it endangers his life, then we must tell him," Un replied solemnly. Kagome's smile widened. "Then I don't have to worry. OK, this is what I have in mind…" Kagome relayed her plans to them, making sure to emphasize what she had in mind for the servant tunnels.

Ah and Un exchanged nods when she finished. "We will help you Kagome."

"Yes!" Kagome cheered, trapping the twins in a joyous hug. "You guys are great! Now," she abruptly let go of them, twirling out the door and down the hallway to the ballroom. "Now where is the entrance?" She tossed a silence spell at Sesshoumaru's study door before walking into the ballroom.

Ah and Un led Kagome to the orchestra platform. They waited to make sure Kagome was watching, then turned a small knob on the immaculate white wall. A panel of the wall slid open, revealing a dark hole only a few feet tall.

"Is that it?" Kagome asked as Un stepped inside.

"Yes, it is," Ah replied. He held his hand out to her, then tugged her into the tunnel. The door shut behind her instantly, leaving the threesome in a dusty, barely lit hallway.

"Where are we?" Kagome asked as Un lead the way. "And why is this place so dusty?"

"This is the servant caverns," Ah explained. He stayed beside her, his hold on her hand gentle yet firm as they followed Un through the pathway. "There are many honeycombed throughout the house, which is why no one is allowed in her but servants, Un and I. It's very easy to get lost."

Kagome nodded as Un led them around a corner, then asked again "Why is it so dusty here?"

"The servant that cleans this tunnel has been sick for quite some time," Ah replied as Un turned another corner. "But when the time comes for you to use it, it will be clean."

"Oh, ok then," Kagome said as they stopped before a door. Un stepped through first, then helped Kagome through as Ah stumbled behind them. 'Why does this look so familiar?' Kagome asked as Un closed the door behind them. They were in a small room, with blankets and coats inside. 'It looks a lot like-'

"We're here!" Un pronounced, opening another door and stepping into the living room. Kagome followed suit, turning to look back as Ah shut the door. "That's the closet!" she chirped. "This is so perfect!" Kagome pulled out her cell phone and dialed Rin's number.

"Rin here!"

"Rin! This is Kagome! I ne-"

"I know you're mad, but I had to do it! Inuyas-"

"Woah," Kagome interrupted. "Hold on one second. I'm not mad, but if you want to make up for the whole 'milkshake' thing, then I need a favor."

"What kind?"

"I need a costume." Kagome described the costume in detail, to which Rin agreed to get after finding out it's purpose. "Oh, and I need silver coins too."

"Real ones?" Ah asked. Kagome nodded. "Yes, if possible. As many as you can find. I need them sewn to the costume, some to be jewelry, that kind of thing. Can you do it?"

"Sure!" Rin chirped. "I got you covered!"

"Good. I've got to go."

"Alright Kagome. Later days."

Kagome thought a moment as she hung up, then dialed another number.

"Kit's Playground! The Man With the Plan here!"

"Kit! I need something."

"Kagome-mama!" Shippou cried on the other end. "How are you? You know, Miroku's told Hojo the other day something about a milkshake. What's with that?"

Kagome blushed. 'I'm never going to live that down.' "Never mind that. Just listen. Do you have a small holographic device that can scan images and copy them?"

"Now you know I do. It's disguised as a lapel pen."

"Oh great.." Kagome groaned. "I can't use a lapel pin."

"But we can," Un told her. Kagome smiled back at him. "That _is _right! Send it will you Shipp?"

"Of course Kagome-mama! Anything else?"

"Nope, that's it. Thanks a lot."

"Alright then. Holler back."

Kagome hung up the phone and smiled, plotting as the twins stared at her inquisitively. "Come on fellas. We only have three weeks to plan this."

/_Dec. 11, 8:45 PM; The Ballroom/_

"OK fellas," Kagome said. "Take your positions."

Un and Ah moved to the orchestra platform, Un standing a the bottom of the steps and Ah standing beside the tunnel entrance as servants bustled around them. The set up for Sesshoumaru's party was easy enough, but keeping Kagome's secret from the taiyoukai was harder than Kagome knew. Sesshoumaru tried everything on the twins, from mind probing to outright threatening to find out what Kagome had planned. But so far so good, and he never found out.

Sesshoumaru, as of the moment, was in the dojo while they helped set up.

"Alright," Kagome said as she took her place. "This is where we'll be standing when the gift presentation begins. I'll be right here," she gestured to her spot beside Ah. "Ah, you'll use the lapel pin to make a hologram of me. Do you know how to use it?"

"Yes, I think I do," Ah replied, lifting the pin to eye level. It was a simple golden pin, shaped like a rose with a tiny crystal to resemble a dew drop. "Just push the crystal to scan you, and flick the switch on the other side to activate it."

"Right," Kagome said, then continued her explanation. "Once you turn that on, I'll go down the servant tunnel to the-"

"No, you can't go by yourself," Ah reminded her. Kagome pouted. "But who will keep the hologram going if you go with me. Un can't because he'll be beside Sesshoumaru. Rin can't because she'll be in the living room."

"This plan is too complicated," Un grumbled. "Why not just transmit yourself to the living room and back again?"

"That's a great idea Un!" Kagome cried, reaching down to quickly kiss his cheek before returning to her spot. Ah mentally laughed at Un's blush, then watched as Kagome continued their run-through.

"OK, once I get changed, I'll appear here." She stood in the center of the room, a couple of feet from where Sesshoumaru's chair was going to be. "I do my thing, then transmit myself to the living room again, change back into my party clothes and come back in my spot before Sesshoumaru ever knows the difference."

"Good plan Kagome," Ah agreed as Un smiled. Mentally though, he and Un disagreed. 'I don't think it'll be good for her to do so much with her power in one day, do you?" Un asked as Kagome skipped around the room.

'I don't either. What do you suggest we do?'

'We should keep a tab on her power level. If she looks like she's losing her power, we step in to help her.'

'Agreed,' Ah replied as the doorbell rang. Kagome glanced at her watch and grinned. "That must be Rin with my costume!" she chirped before she disappeared. Un and Ah sighed, but headed toward the front room door.

/Dec. 12, 9:30 PM; The Ballroom/

Sesshoumaru walked the crowd, greeting each guest as he looked for Inuyasha.

"Hey Sesshoumaru!"

'There he is.' Sesshoumaru stopped, waiting for Inuyasha to catch up to him. "Hello Inuyasha. Where is your wench?"

"Would you stop calling her that!" Inuyasha protested. "_Katrina_ is still in Jacksonville. She said she had to check on her father. Sango and Miroku are here too, milling the crowd."

"I see. Have you seen Kagome?"  
  
"Yeah," Inuyasha pointed over his shoulder. "She's right over there."

Sesshoumaru turned, following Inuyasha's suggestion to the other side of the room. He was stopped along the way.

"Hello Sesshoumaru-sama," the man said, his eyes briefly flashing bright red . "Happy birthday. How old are you this year?"

"Too old for you to be asking," Sesshoumaru replied, frowning at the youkai's laughter.

"Isn't it 1408?"

"It might be. I do not keep count with numbers."

"But it's officially 29, isn't it taiyoukai?"

Sesshoumaru growled, his eyes flashing golden for a moment. "Do not believe for one moment that you can hide behind these humans should I choose to kill you. Remember who I am."

"Of course Sesshoumaru-sama," the youkai replied. "But I really want to ask about your new human."

"What of her?"

"She is so intriguing. You can tell that she respects you."

"Yes," Sesshoumaru agreed. "She does."

"I was wondering: Is she a part of the entertainment, or part of the food?"  
  
Sesshoumaru frowned, the claws of his left hand flexing under the insult. "I warned you-"

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome cried, slipping her arm under his and flashing him a bright smile. "I've been looking for you." She frowned at the tension in the air, glancing at the sealed youkai before her before turning to Sesshoumaru. "Is everything alright?"

"It is," Sesshoumaru assured her, patting her hand gently. "Leave," he told the youkai in Italian. "Or risk my claws."

He led Kagome away from him, calming himself as he glanced at her attire. She was dressed in a chocolate brown ballroom gown, with a bandeau top and skirt that brushed the floor. Her hair was up in a simple French roll, with a string of pearls wrapped around it.

"Come along Takamada-sama," Un said as he and Ah separated them. "It's time for the gift ceremony."

Sesshoumaru followed Un to a chair in front of the orchestra platform as Ah and Kagome stepped onto the platform behind him. Un stood at his right side, smiling to the guests around him as he called for everyone to quiet down.

"Ok Kagome," Ah whispered as Un began the ceremony. "Stand still." Kagome stood beside him, her hands clasped in front of her as Ah scanned her with the lapel pin. "Is there any way for you to hear what's going on in here while you're in the living room?"

"Yup," Kagome answered as the first gift was presented. "I'm focusing on Un as we speak."  
  
"Good. We have a signal for you. When Un says 'An anonymous gift', you come in."

"Got you."

"Any questions?" Kagome shook her head. "Good. Rin is already in the living room. Good luck Kagome."

"Thanks." In a wink of an eye she disappeared. Ah quickly switched on the hologram, nodding in approval at the lifelike double before him. 'Un, are you ready?'

'Yes,' Un replied. 'Are you reading her ki?'

'Sure am.'

'Good. Then this should go off without a hitch.'

Kagome appeared in the living room moments later, smiling as Rin tossed her a black canvas bag. "I got what you asked for, but they only had it in black."

"That's alright," Kagome assured her. "But what about the coins?"

"Sewn right to the cloth, with some as jewelry."

"Alright! This should go perfectly!" Kagome changed quickly, donning a black cape last. She spun around once, waiting for Rin's approval.

"You look absolutely beautiful Kagome!" Rin chirped.

"Thanks Rin, but I'm not through yet." Kagome touched three places on the floor in front of her, then closed her eyes and whispered. "Become…"

Little puffs of smoke rose from the three places, and then disappeared, leaving behind three figures in robes and hoods. One held a set of small drums, another held a tambourine, and the last held a small recorder-like flute.

"Wow," Rin muttered, walking around the beings as they stood before her. "Did you do this? What are they?"

"They are a manifestation of my power. It's like another part of me," Kagome answered. She quieted, listening to Un's part of the ceremony until she heard her cue. "Rin, go ahead. Lead them to the hall."

"Alright Kagome, but what about you?"

Kagome smiled back, then motioned for the figures to follow Rin. "Don't worry about me. I'm coming soon."

Rin nodded in agreement, then lead the figures to the ballroom.

"An anonymous gift," Un pronounced, earning a strange look from Sesshoumaru.

"Anonymous?"  
  
"Yes Takamada-sama," Un answered as the crowd whispered around them. "There is no name, but there was promised to be a gift."

Sesshoumaru moved to question him, but silenced when three hooded figures marched into the ballroom. They walked through the empty floor to him, one behind the other, until they were in the middle of the room. Then they each sat down; the one with the drum on the far left sitting first, with the tambourine in the middle and the flute on the other end. Their heads were down, shielding their faces from the others around them.

They sat quietly for a time, neither moving to speak as Sesshoumaru and his guests grew impatient. They finally reached forward and patted the floor between them and Sesshoumaru. A small smoke funnel appeared where their hands had been, slowly becoming the form of another hooded figure. This figure was dressed in black as well, with the cloak and hood hiding it's form from the audience.

"I suggest you be quick," Sesshoumaru commented irritably. "I don't have all night."

The figures on the floor glanced at each other, then raised their heads. A black cloth covered their faces, hiding them from view. The one on the left tapped his drum once, then again before falling silent.

The standing figure before Sesshoumaru removed its hood, uncovering a young woman. Half of her face was veiled behind black silk, as was her hair. Silver coin earrings hung from her ears and her neck. She shrugged the cloak away, it falling to the floor to puddle at her feet.

She was dressed in black, with a halter top and a simple yard of silk wrapped around her hips. Silver coins hung from the garments, as did they from her hands and ankles in the form of bracelets, armlets, foot bracelets and anklets. She bowed, then motioned for the figures behind her to begin.

Thump, thump, thump thump-thump-thump

She stepped forward, slowly raising her hands from her sides to above her head. The palms of her hands pressed together above her head. She glanced from one side to the other, watching the faces of the awe-struck crowd before staring at Sesshoumaru.

'Blue eyes…' he realized when she looked away. He glanced behind him, relieved to find Kagome and Ah standing behind him. He turned back to the entertainment before him, missing Ah nervously wipe his brow.

She stepped to the right as the flute began, then quickly brought her hands apart. A black cloth appeared in her hands, waving to her side as the tambourine chimed behind her. She spun around, holding the sash above her head to flutter like a banner. She brought it to her hips, spinning once again before bringing her hands up and wadding the sash in her hands.

She twirled toward Sesshoumaru, her empty hands flying apart as her clothes spun around her. She stopped a foot before Sesshoumaru, tossing a handful of black sand to his feet before dancing on.

Miroku watched in approval, as did Inuyasha before either of them realized that Sango was unusually quiet. "What is it Sango?" Miroku asked. "Is something wrong?"

"I just hope she knows what she's doing," Sango muttered with a shake of her head.

"Knows what who's doing," Inuyasha replied.

"Kagome."

"No way," Miroku said, glancing ahead before shaking his head at the idea. "Kagome is on the orchestra pit."

"Believe me, I know. I've trained with her enough to know her when I see her."

She stopped before the figures, the sash once again vanishing from her hands as she caught her breath. The music stopped as well, leaving a sad flute solo to waft through the crowd.

'I know her,' Sesshoumaru realized. He tested the air for her scent, surprised to find Kagome's so close to him. He glanced behind him, and once again saw her standing beside Ah. 'That is impossible, unless…' He smirked to himself. 'My dear Kagome, you are clever but not clever enough…'

The flute quickened, as did the drums as they came back. She leaped forward, the sash once again fluttering beside her as she began to spin. She traveled the edge of the crowd, the sash brushing against faces and legs of those she passed as she danced around the figures. She stopped in front of Sesshoumaru, dropping to her knees. She bent backward, her knees spreading slightly as the top of her head touched the floor behind her. She held her hands up, the sash once again disappearing.

Her hands flew to the floor at her sides in a puff of smoke moments later, revealing a sash in each hand. The crowd ooo'ed and aaah'ed around her as she caught her breath. She brought her hands up once again, balling the sashes in the palms of her hands and pressing her fisted hands to her chest above her heart.

Sango paled, her breath coming out in a shaky woosh.

"Sango, are you ok?" Inuyasha asked. "Do you need to sit down or something?"

"No, I'm alright." Sango blinked back tears, watching as the mask around Kagome's mouth began to move. 'Please don't do what I think you're doing…'

Sesshoumaru strained his ears, but could only hear puffs of breath and whispers of silk as she began to chant. Her hands gripped each other tightly and her breath came out in short, hard huffs. Her hands jerked upward, her wincing before she jerked upward again. She began to pull up, fist over fist. Soon, a silver hilt appeared in her hands, wrapped in white leather for grip. She continued to pull, the hilt finally in full view as the blade began to appear. It was double-edged, and seemed to take a great deal out of her.

Even then she continued to pull, and soon 3 inches of the blade could be seen in its entirety. Sesshoumaru listened to the humans around him, hearing their awe at the trick.

"I wonder where that sword is really coming from," some said. "And how is she making it appear to come from her chest."

But Sesshoumaru, one human, and the youkai in the room knew better, for Sesshoumaru and the youkai could smell the feint trace of blood on the sword's edges. 'What is she doing?' Sesshoumaru wanted to ask. 'What kind of magic is this?'

She continued to pull, revealing an engraving of a dolphin on either side of the blade. Finally the tip of the blade appeared, the sword becoming a long katana of sorts. She sat up slowly, grasping the sword by the hilt and spun it slowly, the tip passing a hair's breath away from Sesshoumaru's nose before it paused above her head. She grasped it firmly, then split her hands apart, revealing the sword to be twin blades. She crossed them above her, her breath still shaky and weak as she pressed the hilts back together.

She handed the sword to Sesshoumaru hilt first, watching as he grasped the hilt with his right hand. Her hands covered his momentarily, then slid down the hilt to the blade. A sheath appeared from under her fingers, and it was then that Sesshoumaru realized that the silver coins adorning her outfit were gone.

He unsheathed the sword, raising it to the air before bringing the tip to her throat. She leaned away, but Sesshoumaru stood. "Who are you?"

Her eyes seemed to smile, but she said nothing. In instant later she and the figures behind her disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Rin burst into the room just as Kagome collapsed. "Kagome! Are you ok?" she asked, helping Kagome to her feet.

"Yeah, I just think I've used a little too much energy," she gasped, holding onto Rin while Rin changed her clothes.

"But you'll be able to transmit yourself to the ballroom, right?"

Kagome shook her head. "If I do, I'll just collapse again. For right now, I just need to sit down a moment."

"No! You can't do that! Then Sesshoumaru-sama will know!"

The closet door opened, and Ah stepped out. He glanced from Rin to Kagome, then picked Kagome up and carried her to the closet.

"Wait a minute!" Kagome protested, smoothing out her skirt as Rin followed. "Aren't you supposed to be in the ballroom? We're as good as busted now!"

"No, this is an Ah copy," Rin explained as Ah turned and shut the closet door and opened the tunnel entrance. "Ah's still in the ballroom."

"Is he safe?" Kagome asked. Rin nodded with a smile. "Yeah! He's just like Ah, except he'll disappear once Ah touches him."

Kagome nodded, then settled into the copy's arms as it navigated the tunnels. True to the twins' word, the tunnel was a lot cleaner than the last time, with bits of light streaming through the dust-free cracks in the walls. They finally came to the ballroom entrance, with Ah helping Kagome through the door before touching his doppelganger. It disappeared, as did Kagome's hologram as Rin stepped through and Ah closed the door. "You look tired Kagome," Ah noticed. "Stay here and I'll get you something."

Kagome watched him walk away, then turned to the gift ceremony that was still taking place. Sesshoumaru turned around and smiled at her before facing ahead. "Oh man, that was such a bad idea," Kagome groaned. "I should have found a better way to do that."

"What'd you-"

"Kagome!" Sango hissed, climbing up the stairs to them. "What have you done?"

"Please don't lecture me on it Sango," Kagome pleaded.

"I'm not going to! I just don't want to come to your house one day and find those swords on your wall!"

"You're not, now keep your voice down!"

"Am I missing something?" Rin asked, staring at the two curiously. Kagome shook her head. "Sango's just worried about me. But she shouldn't be, because I know what I'm doing."

"Alright Kagome," Sango relented as the gift ceremony ended. Sesshoumaru stood as Un thanked everyone, then turned and walked toward them as Ah came out of the tunnel. "I just don't want you hurt."

Kagome smiled, grasping her and Rin in a gentle embrace. "Don't worry," she whispered. "I'm not going to be."

"Here you are Lady Kagome," Ah said. "Drink it quickly."

"What is it?" Kagome asked, ignoring the 'lady' for the moment. "It looks like dirt," she sniffed it. "And it smells like it too."

"Never mind that. Drink it."

Kagome sighed, then poured the thick greenish-brown substance down her throat. 'Oh God!' she gasped as she fought not to spit it in Ah's face. 'It's worse than dirt! Where did he get this from?' She handed him the cup minutes later, then took a stick of gum from Ah's hand and chewed.

"Good. Now wait."

Ah walked off with the cup in hand, he and Sesshoumaru passing one another before Sesshoumaru reached her. "And how are you Sango?"

"I'm fine Mr. Takamada," Sango said. "I'm sorry to make this brief, but I have to find Miroku and Inuyasha. We're leaving."

"Awww…." Kagome moped. "But you just got here."

"I know, but our flight leaves at midnight. I'm sorry Kagome." Sango hugged her, leaning her head against Kagome's. "Please be safe, my sister," she whispered in her hair. Kagome nodded. "You as well, nee-chan." They separated, then Kagome and Rin walked Sango and the others to the door. "Behave yourself Kagome!" Miroku called as he and Sango waited until Inuyasha got in the car. "I don't want you drinking anymore milkshakes!"

Kagome blushed a vivid red, Rin groaned and Miroku and Inuyasha howled as Sango looked on in confusion. "What on earth is he talking about?"

"I'll tell you some other time," Kagome said, glaring at Rin for a moment before smiling. "But you three get going."

"Alright Kagome. Goodbye!"

Kagome and Rin watched them pull away, then spend 15 minutes saying goodbye to guests as they left. Kagome marveled at her new found energy, guessing it to have something to do with Ah's drink. "What was in that anyway?"  
  
"Oh, that," Rin said as she hugged an elderly gentleman. "Ah and Un used to give me that when I pulled all-night study sessions. It taps into energy you'd use if you were in a stressful situation, like a fight or something, and pulls it throughout your body. Its great stuff, but you'll regret drinking it soon."

"What makes you say that?"

"When I used to drink it, I would be fine until I stepped into this door. Then I did this-" Rin pretended to collapse, making funny snoring noises in the back of her throat. "Ah or Un would always be standing by the door, waiting on me so they could carry me up the steps." Kagome giggled as Rin straightened. "Don't laugh, because I guarantee it'll happen to you when the last person steps through that door."

"It will not," Kagome said as she shook hands with a gentleman. She yawned the instant his foot crossed the threshold, earning a smug look from Rin. "See? What did I tell you?" She looked around, listening to the suddenly empty house before smiling. "He was the last person. You're feeling tired, aren't you?"

"A little," Kagome yawned again, this one nearly earsplitting. Rin shook her head and reached inside a nearby hall closet for her coat and purse. "I'm leaving now. I suggest you get a head start, because I don't see Ah or Un anywhere."

"I guess you're right," Kagome said around another yawn. "Good night."

"Night Kagome-nee-chan!"

Kagome watched Rin leave, then trudged into the front room and up the steps. Her shoes dangled by their ankles from her fingertips, her hand gripping the handrail tightly before she paused at the landing and the stained glass window. "I'll just stop here," she told herself, sitting beneath the window. She leaned back against the wall and sighed. "Yeah, just for a moment…" And before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

Sesshoumaru stood in the front room, reflecting on the night's events. 'Most that were here were only here to be in the presence of money,' he frowned as he opened the front door and leaned against the frame. The cold December wind blew around him, cooling him off as he stared into the distance. 'And the gifts were to show what they had, not in true generosity. Humans are so foolish. Not one of them deserve my presence.' He rethought that when his fingers brushed against the frigid tip of the sword now at his side.

'All but one. She is a wonder indeed. What is this sword, and what power does it possess? What does it mean?' He closed the door and turned, following Kagome's scent through the front room, up the stairs and to the landing and the stained glass window.

She sat beneath it, the moonlight giving the dog above her an ethereal glow and the guise of her protector as spare light streamed over her. Dark eyelashes framed smooth, pale cheeks under his watchful gaze. Her head was bowed slightly, with her shoes still in her hand.

'Did you tire yourself out, little miko?' Sesshoumaru teased as he picked her up and climbed the steps to her room. Her breaths were slow and even, and she snuggled closer to him instinctively. "You should know better than to sleep in hallways and on stairs," Sesshoumaru smirked as he entered her room.

"But it was only for a moment," Kagome whispered, stirring out of her slumber to look at him. "And it wasn't my intention to fall asleep right there."

"Of course it wasn't," Sesshoumaru replied, playfully wincing when she punched him in the arm. "I'm fine you know," Kagome grumbled as he sat her on her bed. "So you don't have to dress me."

"I know, but there is something I want to ask," Sesshoumaru said as he sat beside her.

"What?"

"What does the sword mean?" For an instant, he could smell faint traces of astonishment and disbelief in her scent. Then she sighed and said "How long did you know?"

"After you threw sand around the room," Sesshoumaru answered truthfully. "Now what do they mean?"

"Well," Kagome said as she stood up. She reached inside a nearby dresser and glanced over her shoulder at him. "I'll tell you after I change. I'll call you when I do."

"No, not good enough," Sesshoumaru told her as he stood up and walked to the door between his room and hers on the other side of the room. "I'm going to stay right here until you tell me."

"But…but…" Kagome stuttered, frowning when he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door. "I'm going to tell you."

"I have the feeling that if I leave this room, you'll go to sleep. Then tomorrow you'll dance your way around it and I'll never know. So I'm not leaving."

"Fine," Kagome sighed, giving in. "I tell you what: You put the sword on the bed and face the door. Then I'll tell you."

"Fine." Sesshoumaru did as she asked, placing the sword on the bed before turning his back to her. "Is this better?"  
  
"Yes," Kagome said. She checked to see if he were peeking, then untied the bandeau top and draped it over a nearby chair. "The sword is what it is; a sword," Kagome began, going over the parts she wouldn't tell him just yet.

"It came out of you," Sesshoumaru countered. "So it never was just a sword to begin with."

"OK, you got me there." Kagome grabbed a white tank top from the draw, glancing at the pink rose screen on the front before pulling it over her head. "It's special in that sense and in one other." Kagome pulled out a matching pair of boy shorts, jumping into them before grasping the sword and pressing it to her chest.

"OK, this is what you do: I want you to close your eyes."

"Why?"  
  
"Please?"

Sesshoumaru bit back a sigh. "Fine." He closed his eyes and waited for her next instruction.

"Hold up your right hand and imagine the sword's hilt in it, what it feels like in the palm of your hand. Do you have it?"

Sesshoumaru focused, his mind recreating the smooth, cool feel of the metal, the warmth of the stone at the butt of it and the softness of the leather. "I have it."

"Now pretend that it's in your hands, but it's still in the sheath. Withdraw it."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes behind his lids, but performed the motions to draw it, hearing the singing of the blade against the sheath before the ring of the tip bumping against the edge.

"Now open your eyes Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru opened them, blinked, then blinked again before he could believe his eyes. The sword was in his hand, as if it were always there, the moonlight dancing merrily off the silver katana. "How…"

"The sword is connected to you," Kagome answered as he turned around. "No matter where you are, if you need it it'll come to you."

"But how? Why?"

Kagome blushed, something that didn't go unnoticed as she looked down at the sheath still in her hands. "It's to protect you, just in case I can't."

Sesshoumaru smiled, a small but true one as he crossed the room toward her. He hugged her gently, kissing the top of her head before resting his chin on it. "It is I that should protect you. Thank you for this Kagome."

Kagome's blush darkened, but she hugged him back. "You're welcome. Now can you sheath that thing please? I'm not fond of being stabbed by accident."

Sesshoumaru chuckled, but did as she requested. Kagome stepped out of his embrace, handed him back the sheath then pulled back the covers on her bed and slipped under them.

"Hold on one second," Sesshoumaru said, opening the connecting doors as Kagome stared at him. "What for?"

"Because there's only one thing that will make today perfect," he said as he disappeared behind it. His head popped back in moments later. "Don't go to sleep, OK?" he asked, eyeing her nervously. Kagome nodded, and he disappeared again. Sesshoumaru came back moments later, dressed in a pair of white silk pajama pants.

He slipped under the covers beside her, pulling her toward him before resting his head on a pillow. "There" he whispered, gazing into sleepy blue eyes. "Perfect."

"Glad you think so," Kagome yawned, finally slipping away as Sesshoumaru watched her. 'My clever girl,' he praised, his eyes warm and golden as she slept. 'Only you could come up with something so ingenious.'

/1:12 AM, Inuyasha's Plane/

Miroku frowned, then hugged her from behind, glancing into the night sky around them. "Why aren't you sleeping Butterfly?" he asked. Sango shrugged, then sighed. "I'm worried about Kagome. I think tonight could come back to haunt her."

"How's that?"

Sango glanced behind him to Inuyasha, making sure he was fast asleep before continuing. "A long time ago, there was a miko who adopted a ryuu youkai. Now as you already know, miko are supposed to purify first, ask questions later but she couldn't hurt the poor thing. It lost it's parents to exterminators you see, so it had no one left in the world. Well, she took it in and raised it as her own child."

"I can imagine the other miko didn't like this," Miroku chimed in, then quieted at her solemn nod.

"Exactly. She defended him from her fellow mikos, and fought against other youkai who saw the toddler as food. The other miko soon estranged themselves from her, vowing that she would forever be alone as long as she refused to do what she was supposed to.

"Time passed and soon the miko faced a foe she couldn't defeat. She died, but before doing so she created a weapon for her 'son' to protect himself with. She did it the exact way Kagome did tonight.

"It was a simple sword, but it did its purpose. Since then, each miko from her line has been able to produce solid, reliable weapons out of their wish to protect another."

"And why is that so bad?" Miroku asked. "Wouldn't that just make her job easier?"

"It would, but the swords are more than that. The swords are made up of more than just metal and leather. It's her love, in tangible form. That's what protects him. The stronger the love, and the stronger the power, the better the weapon. Sesshoumaru's is nearly perfect. It's nearly the best weapon ever created from a miko's heart. It will stay with him, even in her death."

"Again Butterfly, I don't see the problem."

Sango sighed. "It's hard to explain, but it's something like him wearing her heart on his sleeve. It's basically her declaration of love for him. He keeps it under any condition but one."

"What's that?"

Sango gazed out the window, silently wishing on a falling star as it passed. "It returns to her if he breaks her heart."

/Dec. 21 1:05 PM, The Dojo/

Sesshoumaru twirled the sword in his hand, marveling at the weapon for the second time today. 'It is most unusual,' he thought as he thrust the sword forward in a parry. 'It's lightweight, yet sturdy and solid. It must be the holy power within it that makes it so.' Sesshoumaru could feel the ki inside the sword, it sometime swirling around him in invisible bits of power. 'It separates easily,' Sesshoumaru pulled the swords apart, crossing them in front of him as he did so. 'And it seems the small blood stone at the base of it is the trigger. Yes, a formidable weapon indeed, but will it withstand my humanoid form?'

Sesshoumaru placed a barrier on the dojo, then shirked off his sealing spell. 'One of two things should happen: Either my youki destroys the sword, or the sword won't allow me to wield it.'

But contrary to Sesshoumaru's hypothesis, the sword merely adapted, combining it's ki with his. 'Truly remarkable,' Sesshoumaru awed as he continued to train. 'It's almost as if the sword is a part of my claws now. The hilt has widened enough for me to wield it without injuring myself on them either.'

Sesshoumaru walked to the other side of the room and stood before two mannequins, his thoughts suddenly foreboding. 'It would seem that, on some sub-conscious level, Kagome knows who and what I am. That is the only reason the sword could accept me so readily. I think I will test it's strength.' Sesshoumaru swirled his youki around it, watching as the blue ki in the sword poured forth and combined with the reds and golds of his power.

He slashed forward quickly, watching in astonishment as a wide blue band streaked toward the mannequins, decapitating them on impact. 'Well,' Sesshoumaru thought as sawdust clouded the air. 'That could be useful.' He sighed irritably as he remembered something important. 'I can't believe I almost forgot to change into my youkai form,' Sesshoumaru thought as he began to change. He soon forgot about the sword as fur bristled all over his body and his mouth widened.

Soon he stood as his true self, he head mere inches from the ceiling. 'Normally, I would have done this outside, but having a miko on premises prevents such luxuries. I guess I'll stay here.' He rested his head on his front paws, clicking the claws of his right paw against the wooden floor beneath him. Instead of hearing

Click-Click-Click

He heard

Clang-Clang-Clang

'What on earth," Sesshoumaru glanced at his paw, surprised to find steel claws where his normal nails should have been. He turned his paw over, finding a silver plate over the pad with a blood stone in the middle. He checked his left paw and found it to be the same, with the exception of the bloodstone. 'What are they?' Sesshoumaru wondered. He extended his claws, and for a moment he could see his normal nails before the sliver oozed over them, hardening into deadly blades.

'So, it's useful in this form as well. It's time I discussed this with the miko.' Sesshoumaru changed quickly, then left the dojo for his room. He showered and changed clothes quickly, choosing a pair of dark jeans and a charcoal gray overshirt.

Sesshoumaru followed Kagome's scent to the kitchen, where he found her moping of a sort. She sat at the breakfast bar, her arms crossed in front of her and her feet up on the counter. A soda-can man danced in front of her, and was doing a great impression of the can-can when Sesshoumaru finally spoke up.

"Kagome?"

"Huh?" She spun around quickly, her blue-jean clad legs jerking from the counter as the little man flattened to a stop. "Oh, hi Sesshoumaru," she said dismally.

"What's the matter?" he asked, gently pulling her to her feet and into his embrace. "You look down."

"I kinda am," she admitted, pulling on the sleeve of her navy blue hoodie. "See, every year around this time, my family throws a big party. Normally, when I can't go I at least help Mom with the decorations and food but this year I can't."

"I'm truly sorry Kagome. I don't mean to keep you from your family."

"It's no problem," Kagome replied as she pulled away from him and back to her seat. "I just miss them sometimes, that's all."

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment, then smiled. "Then why don't you visit them?"

"I can't. I'm here, remember?"

"But you don't have to be." He stood her back up, smiling as she stared at him. "Don't you have the power to be where you want to be at anytime?"

"Well yeah, but I don't think it'd be cool to leave you here by yourself."

'Who said you would?' "I'm going with you." 'To make sure you come back.'

Kagome shook her head, turning away from him as she began to disagree. "Nope. No way. I've never traveled that far."

"How far is it? Just to Atlanta?"

"Nope. Mom lives in Savannah."

"That's not too far," Sesshoumaru assured her. "You could do it."

"Or I could get us lost in the black abyss."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take." He took her hand and turned her around, pulling her closer to him. "I know you can do it Kagome. You just have to try."

Kagome sighed, but nodded. "Alright then Sesshoumaru. I'll try." She closed her eyes and concentrated. "You might want to close your eyes too."

Sesshoumaru closed his as well, then asked "So where are we going exactly?"

"My mother's front porch," she answered as pink ki swirled around them. Sesshoumaru could hear her heartbeat slow, then stop for a moment before restarting.

"Uh ohh," she said moments later. "oops."

"Oops?" Sesshoumaru opened his eyes, finding himself in a living room instead of a porch. "Did you forget our destination?"

"No," Kagome blushed as footsteps approached them. "I kinda overshot it."

A fifteen year old boy came in moments later, his head buried inside a biology book. He glanced up, then turned and walked away. "Mom, Kagome's here. And she's brought a boyfriend too."

A woman poked her head in from the nearby kitchen, then ran in and hugged Kagome. "Welcome home Kagome. How long have you been here?"

"Just a few seconds Mama. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How did you get in the door?"  
  
"I'll explain that later. Mom, this is Sesshoumaru," she said, gesturing behind her. Sesshoumaru reached forward and shook her hand. "A pleasure to meet you Mrs. Higurashi."

"Please, Mama is fine. That's what all of Kagome's friends call me."

"The brat that went down the hall was Souta, my brother," Kagome grumbled as Souta came back in the room.

"Jeez sis, I love you too. How you doin'?" he shook Sesshoumaru's hand as an elderly gentleman came into the room. He eyed Sesshoumaru warily as Kagome introduced him.

"That's Ji-chan. Say hi Ji-chan."

"A pleasure," Sesshoumaru said politely, instantly wary of the man. Ji-chan nodded. "Likewise."

"Alright people," Kagome said as she shoved her mother into the kitchen. "We'll be right back."

Kagome and her mother disappeared, leaving Sesshoumaru with her brother and grandfather. "I would like to thank you, Sesshoumaru-san," Ji-chan said, gaining Sesshoumaru's attention.

"Thank me? For?"

"For inspiring my daughter to re-train for her miko duties."

"I really had nothing to do with it," Sesshoumaru admitted. "It was her decision."

"Wait a minute," Souta interrupted. "You're Sesshoumaru Takamada aren't you? The guy over Western Technologies?"

"I am."

"This is so cool!" Souta exclaimed. "I knew Kagome's job was great, but this is the works! So my sister's protecting you? Man, what a trip!"

"Yes, I suppose it is."

"Mom, be still." Sesshoumaru's ears perked at this, he and Souta moving to stand in the kitchen doorway as Kagome backed her mother against a counter.

"No Kagome. Don't worry about it."

"But I think I can fix it," Kagome reasoned. "Fix what?" Sesshoumaru whispered to Souta.

"Mom's nose. Every year Kagome tries, and every year Kagome fails. It makes them sad afterward."

"Then why do they try?"

"Because it's not the injury itself that bothers them," Souta said, watching Kagome and his mother argue. "It's the reminder."

"But it's not serious enough to be a reminder." Sesshoumaru glanced at the feature in question, and even to his youkai vision the crook in Mrs. Higurashi's nose was small and unnoticeable.

"To them, it's huge. It reminds them of the one time when neither could protect the other. Mama feels guilty for Kagome's decision to quit training afterward, and Kagome feels guilty because she couldn't help her." Souta sighed and turned away as Kagome touched her mother's nose.

"The bad thing it, Kagome's still not strong enough."

"How do you know?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome and her mother glowed a bright pink. Souta shrugged. "Mom's a miko. Kagome is too. Ji-chan's a priest. It just kind of runs in the family."

"I see." They both stared ahead, silent witnesses to the struggle within. Kagome concentrated harder, her brow creasing and her eyes closed as her mother tried to remove her fingers.

"Kagome, I'm fine. I've learned to live with it."

"I can do this Mama. I'm stronger than I used to be."

"But Kagome-"

Kagome's aura flared, she and her mother swallowed by her ki as the pink became brighter. "It's working Mama," Kagome whispered shakily. "Can't you feel it? It's working…"

But as soon as it started it stopped, the ki disappearing slowly. Tears welled in Kagome's eyes as she opened them. "Mama, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Mrs. Higurashi whispered, fiercely hugging her as Kagome's fingers refused to relinquish their hold on her nose. "It's alright. It's not that bad."

"But it's my fault. If only I were stronger." She sobbed brokenly. Sesshoumaru froze, shocked that such a sound could come from her.

'I don't like this,' Sesshoumaru realized as Souta walked away. 'It's not suited to her. It….hurts…to see her like this.' It felt as if his own heart were breaking as Kagome cried, each tear sending stabs of pain through him. He glanced around him, finding that the males of the house were preoccupied, with Souta and Ji-chan watching TV.

Sesshoumaru turned back around, released a single strand of golden youki and combined it with Kagome's ki. She gasped at the sudden power surge, her eyes flashing golden before the ki exploded between them. She flew back across the room, Sesshoumaru reaching up to catch her as her mother fell to the floor.

"Thanks Sesshoumaru," Kagome whispered, climbing out of his arms. "Mom, are you alright?"

"Yes Kagome, I think so," Mrs. Higurashi stood slowly, dusting herself off before tossing Kagome a bright smile. "You're right, you really are stronger. But don't feel guilty about-"

"Mom, look at your nose," Kagome interrupted, stepping closer to her.

"Kagome, I know. I'm not worri-"

"Mom, _look at your nose_!" Kagome shouted, unknowingly hurting Sesshoumaru's sensitive hearing as she held up the toaster to her mother's face. Her mother blinked, then looked before grabbing the toaster.

"How…"

"I did it Mama!" Kagome said, hugging her. "I did it! I fixed it!"

Ji-chan and Souta came in moments later, watching the two celebrate. "Did what?" Souta asked.

"Mama's nose!" Kagome cheered as Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "I fixed it! See!" True to her word, the hook was gone, leaving behind a perfectly shaped nose. "I can't believe it."

"I can," Ji-chan whispered. He pulled Sesshoumaru's sleeve, motioning for him to follow him as Kagome, her mother and her brother celebrated.

"You must care a great deal for Kagome," Ji-chan reasoned as he sat down in a nearby easy-chair.

"I suppose I do," Sesshoumaru replied. "She is, after all, protecting me."

"But for what? I would figure a youkai like you wouldn't need protection." Ji-chan smiled at Sesshoumaru's silence, watching him before going on. "Are you wondering how I saw through your sealing spell? Well, I didn't. It was that tiny blast of youki that tipped me off. You have some nerve, youkai, coming into a holy place such as this."

"Kagome permitted me entrance," Sesshoumaru said in defense. "And it would take more than the pitiful ofudas here to keep me out."

"I suppose it would, but I'm not worried about that. My granddaughter is more than powerful enough to purify you should you become restless. I see evidence of that in her power. Her lifespan is already altered, and so is her aging process. She doesn't look a day over 16. Amazing, isn't it?"

"I truly don't know what you're talking about."

"I see. Well, let me put it to you this way: My granddaughter cares a great deal about you. I can hear it when she calls me, I can see it when she looks at you, and I know about the sword as well."

'The sword again,' Sesshoumaru thought as he drowned out the rest of the old man's conversation. 'I knew she wasn't telling me everything! When we get back to Boston, I'll-'

"When are you going to tell her?"

Sesshoumaru blinked, having forgotten Ji-chan in his entirety. "Excuse me?"

"When are you telling my daughter that you're a youkai?" Ji-chan asked seriously.

"Why should I tell her?"  
  
"She has a right to know! If you don't tell her, then I will." Sesshoumaru was up and by ji-chan in a flash, his hand wrapping around his wrist as he glared at him. "Listen here old man. I am not subject to your threats. I could end your life right now and she wouldn't be the wiser."

"You wouldn't dare!"

Sesshoumaru focused his mental powers, using them to nearly stop the old man's heart. "I wouldn't? I care nothing for you human. Your kind hunted myself and my kin for hundreds of years. I think the miko is a fair exchange." The crescent moon shone on his forehead as his claws extended.

"You-" Ji-chan stuttered as Kagome came into the room. Sesshoumaru slipped back into the sealing spell quickly, releasing Ji-chan from his mental influence. Ji-chan's heartbeat returned to normal, with him holding his hand to his chest as he glared at him. "you're evil!"

"Ji-chan!" Kagome's mother exclaimed as Sesshoumaru stood up. "What happened?"

"He grabbed his chest as if her were having a heart attack," Sesshoumaru said. "I was merely trying to help when you came in the room."

"Ji-chan, are you ok?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru shortened his breath before he could say anything, motioning for him to shake his head. 'Don't make her worry,' Sesshoumaru warned in ji-chan's mind. 'Or I'll make you suffer.'

'You can't do anything to me.'

'Then I'll make her suffer in your stead.'

"I'm fine Kagome," Ji-chan assured her. "I'm alright."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's just old age getting the best of me."

"Alright then." Kagome stood, grasping Sesshoumaru's hand and hugging her mother. "I've got to be going guys," she said as she hugged Souta. "Be good for Mama."

"I'm not five anymore Nee-chan," Souta grumbled, but hugged her back. He then shook hands with Sesshoumaru. "Watch out for her. She's a real trip when her temper's riled up."

"Souta!" Kagome exclaimed, punching his arm. "Don't be a jerk!"

"Yeah yea." Souta shook his head at her, then smiled. "It was great to meet you."

"You as well."

Kagome's mother stepped past Souta and hugged Sesshoumaru, taking the taiyoukai by surprise. "It was great to meet you. I hope to see you again."

"Likewise," Sesshoumaru stammered, awed by the warmth from the woman. 'So this is where Kagome gets it from…'

"Now you two be off," Mrs. Higurashi ushered, motioning for them to leave.

"Alright Mama!" Kagome said as she and Sesshoumaru left out the back door. "Bye Souta! Bye Ji-chan! Mama, if you need anything, call me!"

"Alright Kagome! Bye Sesshoumaru!" He and Kagome watched as her mother closed the door behind them, then Sesshoumaru sighed.

"You're family is interesting Kagome. I don't think your Ji-chan liked m-"

Glomp!

Sesshoumaru stumbled backward, managing not to fall over by bracing himself against a nearby tree. "Kagome?"

"Thank you Sesshoumaru!" she whispered against his neck, her arms still wrapped around him. "Thank you so much!"

"For what?" Sesshoumaru asked, sitting at the base of the tree. He settled her into his lap, she still holding him tightly around his ribs. "I've done nothing."

"But you have," Kagome argued, her eyes wet as she looked up at him. "You helped me help my mother."

"Um," 'Crap!' "what makes you say that?"

"You believed in me," she answered. "When I thought I couldn't get here, you told me I could. Whenever I've thought I was too weak, or too irresponsible, you've always told me different." She stopped then, a single tear rolling down her face as she smiled at him.

"You really do love me, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Sesshoumaru answered, wiping the tear away before kissing her cheek. "This Sesshoumaru does not lie."

"I know. I guess I just didn't realize it until now." Her smile widened, his look curious as she pressed her lips to his. "I love you too."

Sesshoumaru pulled back, his brow quirked as he looked at her. "Are you sure?"

Kagome nodded, pulling him into a gentler hug. "I'm sure. I'm sorry I made you wait so long."

"It's nothing. I would have gladly waited forever to hear you say that," Sesshoumaru answered, mentally praising himself for a plan well done. "You have no idea how happy you've made me," he told her as they disappeared, unknowingly leaving a piece of ice behind.


	26. An Enemy or A Friend Part I: Going Under

.Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Six: An Enemy or a Friend Part One: Going Under

/Dec. 25 5:40 PM, Kagome's Room/

Kagome stepped out of the shower, grabbed one of the fluffy towels from the rack beside her and wrapped it around herself. Thoughts of yesterday replayed in her mind, and she inwardly questioned why she told Sesshoumaru her feelings for him.

'What's going to happen when we solve his case?' she asked herself as she dried off. 'And what will happen when we don't have to spend so much time underneath each other? Will we still feel the same way?'

She sighed, shaking her head as she shrugged into a blood red robe, using a fresh towel to dry her hair. 'Yesterday was so perfect. I wouldn't have guessed he could be so sweet, so romantic. Its almost like the rude, overbearing man I met when this mission started disappeared. But what if it's all just an act?' Kagome shook her head, laughing at herself. 'Come on Kagome. You act as if the whole world is out to get you. It's Christmas for God's sake, could you at least _try_ to enjoy it? And so what if it doesn't last? Nothing is forever, right? I should enjoy this now, and cross the later bridge when I come to it.'

Kagome stepped out of the bathroom, and nearly squealed in surprise when Ah waved at her from his seat at her vanity. "What are you doing in here?" she asked, her hand over her heart.

"Did I scare you Kagome-chan? I do apologize," Ah said as he stood up. "I'm only here to help you get ready for tonight. If you'd take a seat please?" He gestured to his previous seat, waving a pair of shears in his right hand. Kagome sat down obediently, warily eyeing the shears as Ah moved behind her. "What are you planning on doing with those?"

"I'm going to trim you're hair," Ah replied. Kagome shook her head. "Nope. I don't think so. Do you even know how to cut hair?"

"I used to do Lady Rin's hair before she moved. I think I'm pretty skilled."

"Rin trusted you, eh?" Ah nodded and Kagome sighed. "Alright then fine. But what are you planning to do?"

"I think you're uncomfortable with your hair this long," he started, lifting the still-damp waist-length strands to eye level. "So I think I should trim it to your lower back."

"I don't know…"

"Don't worry Kagome," Ah said as he began to section her hair. "I'm very good at this. You'll love it."

Ah turned her around 15 minutes later, giving her a hand mirror. "See, I told you so."

Kagome peered into the mirror and found herself agreeing with him the instant she did so. He cut her hair so it formed a v, with the point at her lower back and the fuller at her mid. She nodded in approval. "I love it Ah!"

"I told you you would. Now let me dry you." Kagome waited as he did so, watching him as he expertly manipulated the round brush through her hair. When he finished, he sprayed something onto his fingers, parted her hair down the middle and framed a few strands near her face. "There. All done."

Kagome leaned closer to the mirror, smiling as she inspected his handiwork. Every strand blended together perfectly, and the slight bend from the hairbrush left her hair perfectly placed. "Again, I love it. Thanks so much."

"Not a problem. Now you're dress is hanging from the inside of the closet door, along with your shoes. When you are dressed, please come to the kitchen. Un and I have a job for you."

"Alright then," Kagome said as Ah stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him and leaving her in the room by herself. She dressed quickly, stopping for a brief moment to admire her dress.

'It would figure that he would pick this,' Kagome mused with a smile, slipping into a red version of the dress she wore to Naraku's ball. 'But he does have good taste.'

She stepped into a pair of 5" black mules, grabbed the matching shawl and transported herself to the kitchen. "Hi fellas," she greeted, giggling when they jumped in surprise. "I'm here. Now what can I do for you?"

"We're in need of two wines," Un explained when he and Ah finally caught their breaths. "One should be a dry white, and the other can be whatever you want."

"But I don't drink wine. How will I know a dry one when I see one?"

"Dries are normally named either Chardonnay, Bordeaux, or Soave. Avoid anything else unless you want it."

"Ok…" Kagome said slowly. "I guess that helps, but don't be surprised when I come back with the wrong thing."

"We're sure you won't," Ah called. Kagome opened the patio door and stepped outside, shivering when she was immediately assaulted by the winter air. 'Now this was smart Kagome,' she thought sardonically as she wrapped the shawl around her and made her way through the garden. 'Why didn't you think to get a coat?'

Kagome traveled the garden to the wine cellar on the other side of the house. She entered quickly, sliding the door closed and leaning against it. She shook the snow off her shoes one at a time, then ventured further into the slightly warmer cellar. 'Oh wow,' she thought as she walked around. 'This place is huge! It doesn't look this big from outside.'

Above her were small swinging lights, each only lighting up a small portion of the floor they shone down upon. There were rows of rows of shelves, each with the name, class, year and country of the wines on it in English, Japanese, French and Italian. Kagome stopped by a shelf, slowly reading the English portion of the sign.

"Aperitif, dry, Italian, 1903-1913." Kagome's eyes widened, glancing around her at the various shelves before groaning. "You have got to be kidding me. How am I supposed to find one wine in here? It looks like the Library of Congress in this place."

Sesshoumaru glanced at himself in the mirror, wondering for the hundredth time why he even bothered to dress up. 'No one is coming,' he bemoaned as he looked himself over, taking a minute to adjust the sleeves of his black mandarin collar jacket. 'Rin is in Aspen with a few friends and Inuyasha is still in Jacksonville. That leaves myself, Ah-Un and Kagome-' "Ah," he nodded to himself, finally understanding the reason. "Well, I won't disappoint her, will I?"

Sesshoumaru stepped out of his room and down the hall, finally arriving in the kitchen where Ah and Un were still preparing the evening dinner. "Where is Kagome?"

"We sent her to the wine cellar my lord," Un said, giving a slight nod of his head before returning to whatever it was in the bowl in front of him.

"It's funny you should ask," Ah said, setting down the wooden spoon with a thoughtful look. "We sent her there at least 10 minutes ago."

"Maybe we should have given her directions."

"Yes, maybe…"

"And she has yet to return?"

Ah and Un nodded. "And she left without a coat too. You don't think she's hurt, do you?"

Sesshoumaru thought a moment, then followed her scent out of the kitchen and into the night air through the patio door, missing the smile passed between the twins before they settled into their preparations.

Sesshoumaru stepped into the cellar quietly, softly closing the door before following Kagome's scent through the cellar. He could tell her amazement at the place in her scent, and he remembered that this would be her first time inside the building. 'Why did Ah-Un not give her directions?' he asked himself as he looked around. 'They normally do not forget such important details.'

"Wow," he heard from somewhere nearby. "What's this?"

Sesshoumaru followed the voice and scent to Kagome, who stood between a set of shelves with her back to him. The shawl covered most of it, and her hair covered the rest. He resisted the urge to pull her toward him, deciding instead to wait and see what she seemed so interested in.

'This bottle is old,' Kagome thought as she turned it over and blew away the dust from the label. 'Romanee Conti, 1900,' she read as she turned around. "I wonder if this is what the twins are looking for."

"I do not think that's it."

"Eeeeee!"

Crash!

"Oh crap…" Kagome looked from Sesshoumaru to the broken bottle sheepishly, a light blush staining her cheeks. "Hi Sesshoumaru."

"Hello Kagome. What are you looking for?"

"Um," Kagome glanced from the bottle to him, then smiled. "I was trying to help Ah and Un cook."

"I see. Well." Sesshoumaru watched as a rivulet of wine made it's way to the toe of his leather shoes and sighed. "There went $800."

"$800!" Kagome gasped. "Oh my God Sesshoumaru! Are you serious?"

"Well," Sesshoumaru said as he retrieved a dust pan and a small hand broom. "It was $800 when I bought it. With the value going up as the years go by, I'd say it was worth-" Sesshoumaru quieted, a thoughtful expression passing his face as he quickly calculating the bottle's worth. "$1,200."

"I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, bending down to help him pick up the glass shards. "I'll pay you back for it."  
  
"Nonsense," Sesshoumaru told her. "It's not that big of a deal. I'm sure I can find another-" he hissed when an unexpected sliver of glass pierced his index finger. Kagome grabbed his hand immediately, her eyes narrowing as she plucked the splinter free.

"I'm sorry for that too. I should have been more careful."

Sesshoumaru watched as she healed the miniscule cut, the flesh melding together as if of it's own free will. "It did not hurt Kagome," he told her, fully expecting the

"Sure tough guy. If you say so."

"I do say so," he joked, grabbing her waist and pulling her closer to him. "But thank you anyway."

Kagome allowed herself to be stood up, then turned back to the bottles. "Now what about what Ah and Un sent me in here for?"

"I have it already!" Ah announced as he came around the corner. "You know, you two take too long. But come along, dinner is almost ready."

"I don't think so. It's too cold out there." Kagome grabbed Ah's and Sesshoumaru's hand, closed her eyes and exhaled. They stood in the kitchen an instant later, Ah blinking in amazement as Kagome and Sesshoumaru adjusted to the bright lights.

"That was amazing Kagome-chan," he breathed. "It was like…walking through water."

"Thanks Ah."

"Come with me Kagome," Sesshoumaru said, grasping her hand and leading her out of the room. "I have something to show you."

Kagome followed him out of the kitchen to the front room, where Sesshoumaru stopped in front of a hallway mirror. "Stay here," he said, positioning her in front of it and walking toward the steps.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get something. Stay right there."

Kagome huffed, but stayed where she was, turning to look at the enormous Christmas tree behind her. She couldn't tell what kind it was, but it seemed to fill the room with the top reaching the railing on the second floor. She wondered how the twins managed to decorate it, glancing from the white lights to the crystal snowmen, angels, bells and other winter ornaments sparkling from between it's branches.

Kagome turned back around as Sesshoumaru descended the steps, watching his reflection in the mirror. He stopped behind her, draping an arm around her waist as he held up a rectangular velvet box in front of her.

"What's this?" Kagome asked, watching the box as Sesshoumaru waved it back and forth in front of her nose.

"Open it and see," he said mysteriously, watching the numerous expressions cross her face. There seemed to be so many, but the main two were curiosity and eagerness with a hint of nervousness. Kagome took the box and peered inside, her eyes rounding in surprise.

"Oh Sesshoumaru, I can't take this," Kagome gasped, staring at the small omega necklace inside. Sesshoumaru unclasped the pink crystal around her neck, placing it inside the box and lifting out the platinum chain.

"And why can't you?" Sesshoumaru asked as he clasped the necklace around Kagome's neck.

"Because I haven't given you anything," Kagome answered truthfully. Sesshoumaru hugged her, bending slightly so he could rest his chin on her shoulder as he stared into her reflection's eyes. "You've given me more than you realize. I want you to have this."

"But-"

"Do you remember the discussion we had the first time I gave you something?"

Kagome giggled slightly, nodding as she did so. "You mean our first fight?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru agreed, laughing himself. "Do you remember what I said?"

"Um," Kagome thought a moment, then "Something like: 'You have stayed by my side for four months, protected me from many dangers, and managed to provide some entertainment while doing so.'"

"OK, bad example. And that was word for word, by the way."

"Yes dear," Kagome teased, smiling when his eyes shot to hers. "What?" she asked innocently. Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"That's why. You deserve this, so take it. You may as well accept things like this, seeing as there will be more of them in the future."  
  
"But I don't need this."

Sesshoumaru agreed with her, turning her to face him, cupping her face in the palm of his hand. "You're right, you don't need this. You are far more beautiful than any necklace, but I-" he looked away from her suddenly, wondering where this sudden bashful streak was coming from. 'I've never had trouble with words before,' he thought as he struggled to think of what to say. 'So why now? It's almost like I'm some kind of love-struck human.'

"Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru immediately returned his attention to her.

"I think I understand."

"You do?"

Kagome nodded. "You don't want me to feel like I'm missing something, do you?"

Sesshoumaru thought a moment, then nodded. 'That's it, pretty much, but how did she figure that out? And why do I care?'

Kagome hugged him, snugly wrapping her arms around him as she rested her cheek against his chest. "I'm not missing a thing. I'm just happy to be with you. I don't need the necklace, but I will keep it. Thank you."

"You're quite welcome." Sesshoumaru hugged her back, suddenly engulfed in a warmth he'd never felt before. It felt safe, free and…loved. 'Is this warmth coming from her?' he wondered, watching as her eyes slid closed and a small smile crossed her lips. 'No, this is closer…Is it…_me_? Could I actually be-no, that is impossible,' Sesshoumaru concluded. 'She's nothing but a pet, and her gratitude is to be expected as are any warm feelings toward her. '

"Dinner is ready!" Ah announced, he and Un smiling at the couple. "But we can put it on hold if you like."

"Nope, that's ok! Come on Sesshoumari!" Kagome grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand and tugged him toward the dining room. "I'm practically starving!"

/J_an 1, 12:00 Noon, Boston Mass./_

"Hey!" Kagome called as she walked up to Ah and Un. They sat, shoulder to shoulder with an arm draped around each other on the steps. Between them, they held a sketch book, and each held a pencil in an opposite hand.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're drawing," Ah answered as Un smudged something with his finger.

"With you're heads together like that?" Kagome asked. The picture they made really gave her the creeps. Their heads were pressed together, with the white locks of hair framing opposite sides of their faces. The green eyes between them stared back at her, and once again she felt as if she were staring at a creature with more than one head.

"Well," Kagome said as she stepped past them and went about her way. "I guess I'll leave you to it."

__

/1:03 AM/

Kagome awoke with a start, bolting upright with eyes wide, frightened and unseeing. She blinked as she struggled to get herself under control, glancing at the digital clock beside her before placing a hand to her heart. 'What the hell…' Her breathing finally calmed as she looked into the darkness, the moonlight outside filling her room with light and shadows.

She tugged her hair, her hands sliding down the low ponytail as she tried to figure out her sudden unease. 'It wasn't the dream this time. For some reason, it felt-' she gasped as her stomach flipped, then fluttered madly. She stumbled out of bed, the ice blue nightgown untangling from around her to slide over her hips and to the floor as she stumbled out of bed.

Kagome made her way to the vanity, her breathing labored and her body tense as she strapped the throwing daggers in the garter and arm sheath in place. 'I sense trouble coming,' she thought as she attempted to stand. 'And I have a feeling that it's going to be big.'

__

/1:43 AM, Jacksonville Fla./

"OK," Sango muttered as she observed her dreamscape. "This is new."

She stood in the middle of a giant toy store, with hundreds of thousands of toys around her. She moved down the aisles cautiously, feeling something not quite right about the dream.

"I mean, why would I dream about a toy store," Sango asked herself as she passed by a display of LeapPads. "After all, I haven't had a dream like this since I turned 10."

She stopped at a flicker of blue ahead of her, then ran toward it. The blue avoided her as they ran through the store, turning down rows and rows of children's delights. Sango stopped in front of a plushie display, watching Kagome as she stood between the aisles with her finger tapping her chin.

"Kagome," Sango called, finally realizing that the blue she'd been chasing was the helm of Kagome's miko robes. "Why are you dressed like that?"

Kagome turned to her, a curious expression on her face as she smiled. "Why Sango, we're supposed to be dressed like this. Remember?"

"No," Sango admitted, watching her friend before glancing down at herself. Sango started instantly, recognizing the black and fuchsia exterminator uniform. She glanced back at Kagome, becoming interested in whatever it was she seemed to be doing. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to decide which one I want," Kagome sighed, reaching inside the plushie pile to pick up a small doll. It seemed familiar, with waist-length blonde hair, hazel eyes and…

"Is that Mr. Takamada?"

Kagome looked the miniature Takamada over before handing it to Sango. "It's either this one…" She reached back into the pile, this time pulling out a doll with long, silver hair. It had tiny markings on it's face and wrists, and a furry boa wrapped around his shoulders. "Or this one…Which one?"

Sango recognized the doll instantly. "Kagome, isn't that the Western Taiyoukai?"

Kagome said nothing still, but gently retrieved the Takamada doll from Sango and held it beside the other doll. "Which one should I choose Sango?"

Sango glanced at them both, silently wondering what any of it could mean. "I don't know Kagome. I'm not entirely-" 'Wait a minute…' Sango stared between the faces of the two dolls, finally noticing something strange.

"Kagome, they're the same doll."

"Really? Are you sure?"

Sango nodded. "I'm pretty sure. They're the exact same. The only difference between them are the-" Sango gasped, understanding and horror overtaking her senses. 'Oh my God. They are the only differences, aren't they? But if they look so much alike, then what if-' The dolls suddenly combined, leaving Kagome with one single doll.

"Oh wow! Thanks Sango."

'Oh no. No-no-no-no-no.' Sango backed away steadily. 'Takamada _is_ the Western Taiyoukai! My God, Kagome's with the miko killer!'

The pile of plushie behind Kagome shifted, then fell on top of her, burying Kagome under the various animals.

-.-

"KAGOME!!!!"

Miroku jolted awake, his breathing heavy and his pupils dilated. Sango burst into the room seconds later, sitting on the queen-sized bed beside him as he struggled to calm his racing heart.

"Miroku! Are you alright? What happened?"

Miroku grabbed Sango and hugged her fiercely, his face pressed into her neck as he breathed a sigh of relief. "It was…just a dream Butterfly. I'm alright now."

Sango smoothed his sweaty hair away from his face, hers soft and concerned. "What was it about?"

"I don't remember," Miroku confessed. "But Kagome might be in danger."

/1:50 AM Boston, Mass./

Kagome transported herself to the dojo, immediately walking toward the crossed swords on the nearby wall. She activated the keypad just like Sesshoumaru instructed her, her fingers tapping the keypad as she remembered the code.

'0585. Rin's birthday.' The door slid up and open, Kagome stepping through and collecting what she needed quickly. She strapped an ammunition holder around her waist, shoveling shotgun shells and magazines into it quickly. She grabbed the Russian rifle, loaded it, then grabbed a shoulder holster, a .48, loaded it and shoved it into the shoulder holster. She flicked off the safety and walked out of the room, waiting for the door to close completely before taking the bow off the wall.

'I might need this,' Kagome reasoned as she strapped it and a quiver to her back. The butterflies jumped instantly, nearly leveling her to her knees. 'If this sucks now, I can't imagine being pregnant,' Kagome joked as she leaned against the wall. She caught her breath in spite of her stomach, and then walked out of the room and down the hall to the front room, where she stood in the middle of the room. She barely registered stepping on a pine needle, one of the few left from the Christmas tree she helped take down a week ago. She pointed the rifle toward the front door, her breath catching in her throat when the butterflies jumped one last time and stopped.

'Here we go,' Kagome thought as the front door opened. Slowly, it creaked until it stood open fully, a dark figure standing in the threshold.

"Kukukukuku…" it laughed as a baboon-pelted figure stepped into the light. "What do we have here? A woman instead of the master of the house? What a shame, though you are a pretty greeting. Where is Lord Sesshoumaru my dear?"

"Don't know what you're talking about. Now leave. You're trespassing and by law I can shoot to kill."

"Don't you mean you 'may'?" He stepped closer to her, then smiled when Kagome stepped back. "I doubt your aim very much my dear. I bet you're scared stiff right now."

"Then I hope you're not a gambling man," Kagome retorted, raising the rifle to eye level. "Because you're about to be broke in more ways than one." Kagome lined him up, and was ready to pull the trigger when she felt a disturbance behind her. Glass shattered moments later, the stained glass window at the top of the steps nothing but a memory as a figure crashed through it and sailed in the air toward her.

Kagome lowered the rifle, shrugged, then flipped the barrel over her shoulder and pulled the trigger, applying a bit of purification to the bullet. A scream and an instant later ash floated around her, settling into her hair and the man's pelt.

"I see the lord's prepared. No matter. I will just have to kill you, then him." He snapped his fingers and stepped outside. Kagome blinked, watching as he disappeared.

"Woah," she muttered as she watched him retreat. "That was weird." She turned to her left instantly, quickly pulling the trigger as a youkai jumped at her from the dark hallway. Kagome whirled around as it screamed, shooting another youkai as more poured in from all sides.

Kagome re-loaded quickly, then continued to shoot as youkai descended upon her. One ducked a bullet, charging toward her and attempting to knock the rifle from her hands. Kagome ducked and head butted him, purifying him on contact. She planted her foot in the middle of his chest and shoved him away as he turned to ashes, shooting through him to the youkai behind him.

Kagome climbed the steps, crying out when she stepped on a piece of broken glass. 'Should have worn shoes,' she told herself as she continued to shoot, wincing slightly from the rifle's kick-back.

Ah and Un appeared at the top of the steps, their eyes wide as they watched the battle below them. "Lady Kagome, are you alright?" Ah asked as he and Un made their way toward her.

"Yes, I'm fine but you two had better hide."

Ah and Un stopped beside her, pulling her to stand behind them. "Go to Sesshoumaru-sama! Keep them from him!" they ordered, a green light surrounding them. Kagome watched as they melded together, green scales covering their bodies as they merged into one being. 'No wonder I've always felt so strange around them,' she realized as they sank to all fours. 'They're youkai!'

They turned back to her, their faces still human as scales crept up their necks. "Go Kagome-chan," Ah said as their hair disappeared and their eyes glowed a deep green. "We will hold them off."

Kagome nodded and ran, dropping the rifle in the process. 'Oh well,' she thought as she turned the corner and ran toward Sesshoumaru's room. 'It's not like I had any bullets left anyw-' She squeaked when cold fingers grasped her neck, the baboon-pelted youkai appearing below her as his fingers wrapped around her throat and lifted her into the air.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" he hissed, his eyes a deep crimson. "Do you realize that you've killed half of my army? Do you know how hard it's going to be to replace them?"

"I'm sure you couldn't give a shit," Kagome gasped, her lack of oxygen leaving her slightly dizzy. He grinned up at her, his head cocked to the side.

"You know something? You're right. I don't give a shit, about them or you either." He tossed her over his head and down the hall, watching as Kagome collided with Sesshoumaru's door upside down. She somehow managed to land on the floor in a sitting position, the .48 already in her hands and ready to fire.

"One more step and you're toast," she warned. He smiled and stepped closer. "I'm waiting miko. Toast me if you think you can."

Kagome squeezed the trigger as lightening flashed from downstairs, her guessing it to be one of the youkai downstairs. It blinded her temporarily, but in that time he dodged the bullet, knocked the gun from her hands and hoisted her up the door by her throat. He sniffed her hair as she struggled to get free, ignoring her kicks and scratches at his wrist.

"You really are a beautiful creature." He slowly licked the side of her face, smirking at her grimace and her outraged scream. "Sesshoumaru has his father's disease, which is why he's been so lenient with you. You will learn your place with me."

"That's enough!"

Kagome dropped to the floor, her hands bracing her fall as the baboon-pelted figure flew back and away from her in a surge of red ki. Kagome gasped for air, drinking it in greedily as Sesshoumaru stepped in front of her.

"How dare you enter this house without my permission Naraku!" he snarled angrily, watching as Naraku stood up and dusted himself off. He laughed, the dark sound creeping up Kagome's spine as she reached for Sesshoumaru's arm.

"Go hide Sesshoumaru!" she begged, her eyes narrowing when he shook her off. "Sesshoumaru, I can handle this now go hide!"

"Never," Sesshoumaru growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Not from the likes of him."

"Isn't she cute Lord Sesshoumaru?" Naraku cooed in Kagome's direction, smiling when she ignored him. "She is definitely attached to her taiyoukai, isn't she?"  
  
"Taiyoukai?" Kagome repeated, staring from Naraku to Sesshoumaru. "What's he talking about?"  
  
"You haven't told her Sesshoumaru-sama?" Naraku chuckled darkly, his hand over his mouth. "I just let the secret spill, didn't I? Oops. I have always been told that I have a big mouth."

"What are you doing in my house?" Sesshoumaru growled again, ignoring both Kagome's bewilderment and Naraku's amusement. "I have no time for your games hanyou."

"Of course you don't. Did I wake you by the way?" Naraku asked, eying both Kagome's nightgown and Sesshoumaru's navy silk pajama pants. "I suppose I did. Let me remedy that for you!"

Naraku unsheathed a sword and charged, moving faster than Kagome could see. In a blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru stepped to the side, caught Naraku's passing hand and punched him square in the chest. Naraku stumbled backward, looks of awe spread across his and Kagome's faces.

"You're slowing down taiyoukai," Naraku taunted. "Is it because of your little miko? Drop the sealing spell and let's begin this. I want you youkai when I kill you."

'What is he talking about?' Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru and Naraku stared each other down. 'Sesshoumaru's human. I would know if he were youkai…wouldn't I?' She thought back to An and Un and their transformation, now not so sure of her miko abilities as she once was. 'Could he be-'

"So be it," Sesshoumaru said as he began to glow a dark crimson. Kagome stood and walked toward him, thinking that he was in some kind of danger, when his hair shifted in the moonlight. Pale blonde hair became silver under her watch, it growing past his waist to his calves, the point of a v like hers swaying mere millimeters from the carpeted floor. The fingers of his right hand, the only hand in her line of vision, lengthened, the nails becoming deadly claws.

Kagome's breath left her instantly, her eyes unfocused and unsure as she felt herself sliding back to the floor below her. A tail wrapped around her waist, pulling her not only to her feet but to stand at Sesshoumaru's side.

"Kagome?"

Kagome looked up, her eyes widening impossibly as she focused on Sesshoumaru's face.

"You must stay focused, do you hear me?"

Golden eyes stared down at her…

"Kagome?"

Magenta stripes lay beneath them, a pair underneath each eye…

"Kagome, damn it! Answer me!"

The indigo crescent in the middle of parted silvery bangs…

The prick of something stabbing her arm snapped Kagome out of it. She looked down, watching a tiny sliver of blood run down her arm. She glanced up, into the face from her dreams, from her nightmares…

From her reality…

And realized why Sesshoumaru's name sounded so familiar…

__

'That's right' Ji-chan said as child versions of Kagome and Sango yawned. 'The western taiyoukai was merciless. There wasn't a soul, miko or youkai, that didn't fear Lord Sesshoumaru!'

"Oh God," she whispered, a paralyzing fear taking over her every muscle. "You're the miko killer!"


	27. An Enemy or A Friend Part II: It's Been ...

.Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Seven: An Enemy or a Friend Part Two: It's Been A While

Sesshoumaru tensed the instant the words slipped from Kagome's lips, but left explaining for another time as Naraku started to laugh.

"How touching," he mocked, holding his side in a fit of chuckles. "The Lord Sesshoumaru, trying to comfort a mere human wench? I swear, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it myself!"

"Shut up Naraku," Sesshoumaru growled, his eyes never leaving Kagome's startled orbs. "Kagome! Focus damn it!"

'No way is this real,' Kagome told herself from the safety of her mind. Sesshoumaru finally looked away from her, he and Naraku having a few unheard quips at each other as she watched. 'I'm having a really funky dream, that's all. In a while, I'm going to wake up, and everything is going to be ok.'

Naraku charged forward again, his sword pointed toward Kagome's heart. Sesshoumaru shoved Kagome behind him and withdrew his sword, Naraku gasping in shock as his sword made contact with the silver blade. It sparked under the holy energy, then jerked Naraku back and away.

"So you're prepared in more ways than one," Naraku commented. "No matter. You'll still die." Tentacles streamed from underneath his pelt, Naraku laughing as Sesshoumaru sliced through each one.

Kagome stood by meekly, watching as Sesshoumaru's blade purified the limbs on contact. 'Now why would I dream this?'

__

'Stop being so stupid!' a voice in her head shouted. _'And since when did you feel pain in a dream?!'_

Kagome stared down at her arm, watching as tiny rivulets of blood dried in the chilly air. 'Yeah, since when…this isn't a dream is it?'

Sesshoumaru growled in frustration, slashing at another tentacle as more took its place. Naraku grinned at him, his glee sending jolts of fury down Sesshoumaru's spine. 'This is taking too long!' Sesshoumaru snarled, slashing at yet another youkai. 'I need something faster than this, but what?' He smiled suddenly, remembering his training session with the sword. 'Let's see what kind of damage this thing can do.' He surged his ki forward, then slashed in Naraku's direction. He smirked as the blue ki blade separated from the sword and surged forward. The smile on the hanyou's face melted as he ducked as he barely avoided the blast.

"You-" Naraku snarled. Sesshoumaru's smirk widened. "That's correct. Me. Now leave while I feel like sparing you."

"I will have what I came for, one way or another!"

Sesshoumaru jerked when an explosion sounded from beside him, ashes raining down on him before scattering on the wind. He turned to see Kagome poised, with bow and arrow in hand. She glanced at him momentarily, sizing him up before glaring at Naraku.

"So she wants to fight now does she?" Naraku taunted as Kagome aimed. "So brave. I can't wait to have you."

"So sorry to disappoint," Kagome whispered, releasing the arrow. It rushed toward Naraku in a purple comet-like streak. Naraku jumped out of the way, watching as the arrow struck a wall behind him.

"Nice try miko."

"Nice to see you with me Kagome," Sesshoumaru whispered, not expecting her to glare at him too. She said nothing, but nocked another arrow and fired a little to his left. Sesshoumaru turned just as a tiger youkai turned to ash.

Ah-Un landed between them and Naraku, gesturing toward the steps. Youkai surged up the steps by the hundreds, each eying the trio eagerly.

"They're hungry," Naraku said as he stood before them, blocking their way up the stairs. "They haven't had such fun in quite a while. I think they deserve the treat." He moved aside, and the youkai knocked him down in their rush to get to Sesshoumaru.

'You know, that would have been funny under different circumstances,' Kagome thought to herself as she nocked another arrow. Sesshoumaru shook his head and gestured toward the window. "Outside, now!" he ordered, pushing Kagome off balance. She landed on Ah-Un's back and together they followed Sesshoumaru out the window and to the garden below.

Kagome straddled Ah-Un's back, watching as Sesshoumaru shifted to his youkai form in mid air. The giant silver dog landed moments later, Ah-Un landing beside him as Kagome turned to look behind them. Youkai jumped from the window to them, running toward them as soon as they landed. Kagome raised her hand and focused her ki into her hand, waiting until she had a decent amount of energy before releasing it.

The purple ki shot from her hand like a cannon, colliding with the flood of youkai and purifying them on contact. Sesshoumaru woofed in approval, watching along with Ah-Un as Kagome lowered her hand and dismounted the ryuu youkai.

She dusted herself off, and leaned down to look at her injured foot when something struck her from behind. She stumbled and fell, inches from the ground when she was picked up and hurled from the spot. Kagome rolled down the hill, barely aware of Sesshoumaru's outraged snarl as she tumbled. Her gown tangled around legs as she fell, preventing her from standing. She finally rolled into a rose bush, the thorns scratching her skin as she struggled to get up.

"I told you that I would not be as lenient," Naraku hissed from behind her. "I don't tolerate rebelliousness. You must be punished." He picked her up and slammed her into a nearby bush, then tossed her across the pathway and into the small fountain on the other side. Kagome surfaced, sputtering water, then screamed when Naraku jerked her up by her hair.

She fought back, using her bow as a makeshift club. She struck him across the brow, then rammed her elbow into his stomach. He laughed merrily, dropping her back to the earth below her. Kagome gasped, the air leaving her lungs in a mighty woosh.

"You're still fighting me," Naraku said with disappointment. "That's too bad. Now I'm going to have to hurt you."

'Like this doesn't hurt already,' Kagome quipped darkly, wincing when Naraku cold boot pressed into her back.

"Now hold still," he said, leaning more of his weight onto his leg. "I don't want to miss."

Something hot and sharp impaled her shoulder, and Kagome screamed again when Naraku used it to pick her up and over his head. She glanced to the side, vaguely registering the wriggling tentacle as Naraku laughed below her.

"You know," he started, shoving the appendage further into Kagome's shoulder. "I thought to keep you, but now that I think about it; I'd rather kill you." He grinned up at her, watching as horror and naked fear froze on her face.

"It was fun while it lasted."

Kagome's eyes widened as another tentacle shot toward her heart, her entire life flashing before her eyes. 'I can't die now!' she screamed as she began to glow a fierce purple. 'I don't want to!'

"No!" she screamed, her eyes squeezed shut. Purple ki poured from her, covering Naraku and flowing over the ground. "Not yet!"

Sesshoumaru stepped forward, intending to catch Kagome when sharp claws dug into his lower back. He turned, his ice-cold gaze freezing the neko youkai in place as he slashed through it with his enhanced claws. He watched a moment as the neko youkai turned to ash, then attempted to mentally tell Ah-Un to try to reach Kagome. He found the ryuu youkai twins engaged in battle with a red, one-headed ryuu youkai that was three sizes larger than it.

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air, cursing the miasma blocking his nose as another inu youkai attempted to strike him in the side. He leaped up, slashing his claws down the inu youkai's back before landing behind him, watching with a satisfied smirk as the youkai burst into dust.

'This purification ability could become rather-' He stopped at Kagome's scream, the sound chilling his blood. She was frightened, and injured if his hearing was correct. Sesshoumaru attempted to reach her again, only to have a set of bear youkai claws slash across his face.

Sesshoumaru snarled viciously, intending on retribution when

"No!"

Sesshoumaru froze, as did every youkai in the garden as the air crackled with miko energy.

"Not yet!"

Sesshoumaru glanced behind him as purple ki shot up the field. The power purified any youkai standing in it's way, flowing over the creature like water before it burst into ashes.

'We're dead,' he heard Ah say as the ki made it's way toward them. Sesshoumaru growled softly, awaiting his fate as the ki purified the bear youkai in front of him. Just as the ki reached him it stopped, rebounding off a pink shield that suddenly rose ahead of him. It swirled around him, the purple ki unable to reach him as it continued its warpath.

He glanced to Ah-Un, grateful to find them inside a pink bubble as well. A blue light surrounded them, and in instant later the twins separated, each patting themselves over.

'What is the matter?' Sesshoumaru asked, returning to his humanoid form.

'We're healed, my lord!' Un stated as Ah smiled beside him. Were there was once bruises and cut flesh was now whole, perfect, and unmarred. Sesshoumaru touched his face and found that too to be healed, the slash marks nothing more than a memory.

The purple began to fade, as did the blue as the pink continued to contain them. 'This feels familiar,' Sesshoumaru thought as he reached out to touch the shield. It didn't hurt him as he supposed, but stretched out under his touch. 'But where have I heard of this-'

__

"The healing part heals the miko and anyone in her good graces. The healing and a part of the human defenses create a shield to protect them, and the purity and the other part of the human defenses destroy any threat in a five mile radius."

"Her Limit Break," Sesshoumaru whispered, awe and amazement laced in his voice. 'So this is how it works. How wondrous…'

The shields began to weaken when the last of the purity faded, Ah and Un's breaking before Sesshoumaru's. They sprinted toward the hill, following the scent of Kagome's blood to a patch of yellow rose bushes further into the garden.

There they found in front of one of the fountains a pile of ash with a wooden doll sitting on top of it. A black strand of hair wound around it, it shimmering in the fading moonlight. Sesshoumaru stepped on it, grinding his heel into the dirt before shaking the splinters away. "Now where is Kagome?"

A soft groan came from his right. Sesshoumaru stepped toward the nearby bush, moving aside a few blooms to see. Kagome lay motionless below the bush, her back to him, as she struggled to breathe. She looked up at him, her steel blue eyes terrified.

"Please don't hurt me," she whispered brokenly, then fainted from loss of blood. Sesshoumaru blinked, shock freezing him in place as her words slammed down on him. He finally picked her up, motioning for the twins to follow him before making his way toward the house.

/11:45 AM, Tuesday/

Sesshoumaru stood in the threshold of her door, watching her as she slept. Her hair pooled on the pillow around her, the tie she used to hold it back lost to the mysteries of time.

Sesshoumaru remembered the blood; he could still smell it; as he carried her inside. Her nightgown was torn to shreds, and a deep hole resided in her shoulder. Naraku managed to miss her heart, lungs, and shoulder bone, but anything else seemed to be fair play for the hanyou.

He doctored her himself once they reached her room, calling for Ah and Un to bring hot water, any medicine in the house, and gauze. He bandaged not only her shoulder but her chest as well, making a makeshift shirt from the gauze.

It was then he noticed her foot, and the blood trail it made down his pajama leg to leave ruby droplet pathway on the floor. Sesshoumaru bandaged this too, but not before picking free every piece of glass that lay embedded in her sole. She cried then, soft tears that rolled off her still face to merge with her hair. He brushed them away, apologizing for them even as she slept unaware.

Sesshoumaru watched her sleep at the foot of her bed, grateful that she lay on her back, hiding the large boot print on her lower back from view. There was nothing that could be done for the purple finger-like bruises on her throat, nor the shallow scratch along her right temple.

'This is my fault,' Sesshoumaru growled. 'How did he get in without my noticing? How did he get past my defenses?' He watched as Kagome's chest rose and fell, each breath like music to his ears. 'How could I have put her in danger like that? I knew of the hanyou threat, so why did I become slack?'

He sat down beside her and traced a finger over her tiny hands as they lay clasped together above the blanket. Sesshoumaru raised his hand to her face, gently brushing aside a stray lock before twirling it around his finger. 'You are only human, in spite of your power. I had forgotten this, and thus you could have been killed because of my neglect. I have broken my promise to you.'

He found himself longing for her smile, her laugh, anything but this silence that crept over her. He curled up beside her, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He paused at her wince, but continued when she settled down. He held her against him, his nose firmly nestled at her throat.

Sesshoumaru could smell her power, it healing her like nothing any modern technology could. It teased his nose, alerting the primal instinct in him of the threat she may cause now that she knew who, and what, he was. 'But my Kagome would never hurt me,' he concluded as he kicked off his shoes and slid under the covers beside her. 'She knows I would never hurt her. I couldn't hurt her.' He turned to her then, cradling her against him as tenderly as one would hold their true love.

"When did you become so important to me, little miko?" he whispered aloud, allowing his eyelids to droop. He settled his head onto a nearby pillow, placing Kagome's head close enough for their breath to mingle on the sheets below them. He slipped into slumber slowly, her natural scent and the scent of her healing relaxing his frayed nerves. "and what does that mean for me…"

/8:23 AM, Saturday, Sesshoumaru's Study/

Sesshoumaru rubbed his temples, willing away the ache in the back of his eyes as he closed them. His tail trailed along the floor behind him, it thumping irritably as Sesshoumaru began to type again.

'Reports, inventory, all of this is unimportant,' Sesshoumaru thought, then reached for the power switch and shut off the computer. 'None of this is relevant. Why hasn't she awakened yet? It's been at least five days.'

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru turned to the door, finding Ah standing in the threshold with a tray in his hands. "Yes?"  
  
"I'm taking Lady Kagome something to eat. Do you think it is wise?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "What is it?"

"It's French toast, her favorite."  
  
'Now why didn't I know that?' Sesshoumaru asked himself as he stood up. He removed the tray from Ah's hands and proceeded down the hallway with the ryuu youkai trailing behind him.

"I can handle it, my lord."

"I'm sure of that," Sesshoumaru answered as he ascended the stairs. "But this is something I want to do."

"Alright then," Ah replied as he backed away, watching Sesshoumaru pass the now boarded up window before calling Un.

'Un, Sesshoumaru-sama is taking Kagome-sama her breakfast.'

'I do not believe that's such a good idea,' Un replied. Ah nodded in agreement. 'Me either, but he insisted. After all, we're just another pair of youkai to her, but Lord Sesshoumaru is another matter entirely.'

'Perhaps nothing will go wrong.'

'I certainly hope not,' Ah replied as he turned toward the kitchen.

Sesshoumaru paused at the door, taking a moment to balance the tray on the tip of his tail before opening it. He settled into his sealing spell before entering the room, never seeing the small pink line on the threshold as he crossed over it.

He glanced at Kagome, surprised to find her lying on her left side. 'She must have rolled over in her sleep,' he determined as he sat on the other side of the bed. He smiled at her face, her eyes closed with her hands tucked under her chin, before turning to set the tray on the other side of him.

He turned back around, reaching to wake her when the air snapped around him. Sesshoumaru turned back to her, finding Kagome intently staring at him. Golden met frightened steel blue suddenly, and Sesshoumaru watched as purple bled into the whites of her eyes, her irises turning to starlight slants.

"Kagome?"  
  
She was up and away from him in an instant, wincing as she backed across the queen sized bed on all fours.

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru reached to touch her, only to have her freeze him in place with the promise of a quick death in her eyes. "Kagome, stay still. You're hurt."

She slid back when he tried to grab her, whimpering as she slithered over the other side of the bed. Sesshoumaru stood up and backed away, his back pressing against the wall as the air around him surged with miko energy.

'What is happening?' he wondered as she peered over the side of the bed at him, her eyes glowing a fearful lilac. He could hear her small whimpers and sudden gasps, and attempted to probed her mind. He registered only one thing before she shoved him out, and it confused him to no end.

'She's in pain, but it's not completely due to her injuries. She thinks she's on fire…but why?' He rounded the bedpost to her side of the bed as Ah and Un came into the room.

"My lord is everything-holy crap!" Ah gasped, he and Un taking in the sight before them. Kagome glared at them, then at Sesshoumaru before backing away from them. She winced every moment or so, but other than that remained silent.

'Fire…fire,' Sesshoumaru pondered as he stood beside Ah and Un. 'Why would she be on fire…unless…' Sesshoumaru was beginning to regret not bathing her before bandaging her wounds, for now he had a sneaking suspicion of the cause of her distress.

'Could some youkai blood have tainted her system?' He thought back, remembering the faint traces of other youkai blood on her body that he washed away when he cleaned her wounds. 'That would explain her reaction right now. If there is youkai blood in her system, then the burning must be her miko energy trying to purify it. She's experiencing what it feels to be purified and she's going into the defensive.'

Kagome inhaled sharply when her back brushed against the wall behind her, glancing over her shoulder at it before glaring at the youkai in front of her. She growled, a completely unexpected and animal sound that confirmed Sesshoumaru's diagnosis of her condition. She sat on her haunches, her nails forming little claws her eyes continued to glow.

'She's going to hurt herself this way,' Sesshoumaru thought as Ah and Un attempted to talk to her. 'She must settle down, but how to get her to do-' All thoughts stopped at the smell of blood. Sesshoumaru glanced ahead of him, not entirely surprised to find that the bandage on Kagome's shoulder was rapidly turning a bright crimson. The right hip of her pink cotton pants was darkening as well, revealing an injury Sesshoumaru obviously missed.

Sesshoumaru stepped forward, his need to calm her down outweighing the threat she possessed as he reached out for her. "Kagome, we will not hurt you," he told her. "But you are hurt. You must be still."

She made no move to acknowledge him, but a gentle lavender glow surrounded her being, a sure sign that she was readying an offensive.

"Is there no way to stop her?" Un asked, fearful of the girl for the first time since their meeting.

"I don't like seeing her like this," Ah muttered, watching as the last of the white on the bandage on her shoulder was slowly taken over by the red. "She's hurting, and we can't make it stop."

Sesshoumaru shared Ah's sentiments, and in his rush to help her touched her shoulder. Kagome howled in agony, recoiling from him like an injured deer. Sesshoumaru jerked his hand back, staring at the appendage as if it belonged to another as tears streamed down Kagome's face. Her growl intensified, vibrating the air around them as her tears dripped off her chin.

Her jerking did nothing for her injuries, for the one at her hip began to bleed in earnest, soaking the right side of her pants and sprinkling drops of blood on the floor around her.

'Enough. She'll bleed to death if we just stand here.' Sesshoumaru reached forth and grabbed her waist, wrapping his tail around her to restrain her as he jerked her forward. Kagome howled instantly from his touch, her back straightening painfully as she struggled to get free. Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her, as did Ah and Un as she kicked, punched and bit in her struggle to escape the pain.

All four sank to the floor, Kagome's struggles becoming weaker the longer they held her. Finally she stopped, panting heavily, glaring at each of them through purple-clouded eyes. Tears melded with the blood on her face but she still refused to relent.

'We cannot do this again,' Sesshoumaru concluded as Ah and Un released their hold on her. 'Another attack like this, and she could seriously hurt herself, or another. I have no choice.' He tilted her head to the side, exposing her jugular vein, before glancing in her direction.

"Forgive me Kagome, but it's necessary."

He sank his fangs into her neck, wincing as an ear-splitting scream escaped her lips. He held her in place, disregarding the claws that shredded the back of his shirt. He ignored her blood, searching for the youkai that infected her like a virus. What he found of it he drank, using his youki to separate her blood from the foreign.

Her kicks and scratches became less frequent, until they stopped all together. She went slack in his grasp, slumping forward as her eyes shut and she fainted once again. Sesshoumaru released his mouth's hold on her as Ah scrambled to Kagome's bathroom.

"Will she be alright my lord?" Un asked as the sound of running water filtered from the bathroom. Sesshoumaru nodded, cupping the base of Kagome's skull in the palm of his hand and pulling her into his lap. "She will live."

"But how did she-"  
  
"I'm not entirely sure," Sesshoumaru answered honestly, anticipating Un's question. " I believe her miko abilities were having trouble with the youkai blood that seeped inside her. As far as I can tell, she's back to normal."

He sniffed her gingerly, relieved to find that; although the blood smell still lingered; her natural scent was untainted and pure. Ah returned seconds later, his hands shaking slightly as he gestured toward the bathroom.

"A bath is ready for her, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru nodded, picked her up and carried Kagome to the bathroom. He sat on the edge of the tub, using his claws to remove the bloody gauze and assessed the new damage. The hole in her shoulder was bleeding sluggishly, but the hole was smaller than the last time he saw it. What was the size of an average golf ball was now a little smaller than a quarter, and seemed to be closing under his study.

The gash at her hip, however, wasn't as promising. What he thought was just a scratch had become deeper during her fit, blood flowing freely from the wound. Sesshoumaru traced glowing golden fingers along the edges of the cut, waiting as the blood flow slowed to a stop.

'What am I going to do with you?' he wondered to himself as he slid Kagome underneath the water's surface. She grimaced, but otherwise didn't move.

Ah and Un stood at the doorway, Ah with a towel in his hands as Un held a medicine kit from the main hallway. "My lord," Un said, clearing his throat when Sesshoumaru flickered his golden gaze toward him. "What are we going to do with her?"

'I just asked that question,' Sesshoumaru quipped sarcastically as he swept the poof over Kagome's uninjured shoulder. He watched as the water around her turned a feint pink, giving an inaudible sigh as Ah continued.

"She may hurt herself the next time she awakes, especially if she moves around like she just did."

Sesshoumaru nodded, pausing in his work to consider what to do. 'There really is one thing to do.'

"Ah, hand Un the towel and go downstairs. There should be some rope in the garage."

/12:00 Noon Wednesday, Kagome's Room/

Kagome awoke slowly, grimacing as a slight buzzing rang in her ears. Her entire body ached something awful, and she felt as if someone replaced her brain with homegrown South Carolina cotton. 'Oh man,' she groaned as she opened her eyes. 'Did anyone catch the number on that bus?' She glanced down at herself, wondering when she managed to change out of what was so obviously a ruined gown.

The black satin gown flowed prettily around her, with the helm of the skirt stopping mere inches from her bound ankles.

Wait a minute…

__

Bound!!!!!

"What the hell?" Kagome tried to kick her legs, but found that they were tied to the foot of her bed. She jerked her arms, finding her left arm tied to her side with her right tied to the headboard. "What the hell is this?! Ah!!!!!"

Ah bounded through the door moments later, panting slightly as Kagome glared at him. "Yes my lady?"  
  
"Why am I tied up?" She frowned at his pause, her eyes narrowing as she jerked on the rope. "Answer me damn it! Why am I restrained?"

"It's for your own good, I assure you," Sesshoumaru said as he rounded the corner. He dismissed Ah with a glance, then walked to sit on Kagome's bed. She shied away from him instantly, glaring at him as he watched her. "You don't have to be afraid of me."

"Who says I'm afraid?" she quipped back angrily. "After all, why would I be afraid of a lying bastard like you?"  
  
Sesshoumaru growled, his eyes flickering golden as he pinned her with his gaze. "Watch your mouth."

"Of course my lord!" she replied, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Forgive this _lowly_ human for speaking so rudely of your person."

"Kagome, please-"  
  
"After all, I'm sure you're not a bastard. Just an asshole, right Great Western Taiyoukai?" She glared at him when he quieted, her eyes dark and accusing as he voice began to rise. "Well? Are you going to answer me?!"

"Kagome, I-"  
  
"And just when were you going to tell me?" she screamed, effectively cutting him off. "When I turned 65 and you still looked not a day over 30?"

"Kagome, if you'd let me explain-"

"Explain then. I'm dying to hear this."

Sesshoumaru glanced at her, searching for any sign of her interrupting again before speaking. "Kagome, what would you have said if I had told you? Would you have believed me?"

"Hell no."

"Exactly my point," Sesshoumaru replied. "So why tell you when you wouldn't believe me? After all, I wanted you to love me for who I am, not what I am."

"That's your excuse," Kagome huffed. She rolled her eyes and looked away, shaking her head as Sesshoumaru nodded.

"It's no excuse Kagome. It's the truth."  
  
"Are you sure what the truth is?"  
  
Sesshoumaru's youki crackled in the air, Kagome's ki answering the threat as they stared at each other. "You have no right to speak to me like that!"

"I don't!" she countered. "Are you sure? Because I think I do! After all, you have lied to me since the beginning of this assignment."

"How?"  
  
"For one, you lied about you and Inuyasha living in different cities. You lied about being human. Maybe your being in love with me is a lie too."

The wind left Sesshoumaru's sails instantly as he watched his plans unravel around him. "Kagome," he whispered softly. "Don't say that. This is exactly why I didn't tell you."

"You listened," Kagome said softly, tears pooling in her eyes. "As I told you everything about me. I kept nothing from you. Not being a miko, not what happened to my mother, not even my childhood fear of you. You listened and laughed at me, knowing that you sat right there and I didn't know it.

"You pretended to care so much when I told you the dream, all the while laughing at me!" She sniffed, the first tear rolling from her eyes as she looked at him. "I bet you'll laughing now, thinking of how much of a twit I am, aren't you?"

"I would never laugh at you," Sesshoumaru told her, reaching out to dry her face. She turned away from him, staring at the bathroom door behind her.

"How much of a twit I am for trusting you, for thinking that you'd ever love me. I'm so stupid."  
  
"Kagome-"  
  
"I hate you Sesshoumaru," she whispered, her blue eyes glaring fiercely into his. "And I'll never trust you again."

Sesshoumaru blinked, not entirely sure he heard her. "What…"

"Get out," she whispered, turning away from him again. She sighed when Sesshoumaru made no move to leave. "Just get out. Leave me alone. You've done enough."

Sesshoumaru stood mechanically, turning on his heel and walking toward the door leading to his room. He finally stopped when the door closed behind him, leaning against it with his forehead pressed against the hard wood.

__

"I hate you Sesshoumaru."

'She can't mean that..'

__

'And I'll never trust you again.'

'Can she…'


	28. In Sesshoumaru We Trust

.Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Eight: In Sesshoumaru We Trust

__

/6:04 AM Thursday, Kagome's Room/

Kagome glared at Ah as he left the room, the rope in his hands as he closed the door. She rubbed her wrist and ankles gently, grimacing at the faint rope burn she managed to receive trying to free herself from them. She sighed inaudibly, stood up, and went to the bathroom for a shower.

Kagome reemerged minutes later, deep in thought as she pulled on a pair of black cotton pants and a white tube top. 'How did I not see through him?' Kagome wondered for the umpteenth time. 'Am I that weak, to where I can't see past a simple sealing spell? And what of Inuyasha? Is he youkai too?'

"Well," Kagome said with a sigh, her fingertip glowing a feint pink. "There's only one way to find out. Inuyasha come."

Inuyasha appeared before he moments later, dressed in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. "What the hell?" He glared at Kagome irritably, frowning when she only glared back. "Can I help you, or do you get a thrill out of ogglin-"

"Drop it."

Inuyasha blinked owlishly, then smirked. "Why Kagome, I had no idea you were so forward. I already have a girlfriend so-"

"The sealing spell, jerk."

Inuyasha paled, stepping back as Kagome advanced on him. "What are you talking about?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed, her eyes glowing lavender as she raised her hand to him. "Either drop it or I purify you, no questions asked."

Inuyasha sighed, then closed his eyes. The air shimmered around him, and Kagome watched as his hair paled to a silvery white. Little triangle ears emerged on top of his head and his eyes were a dark amber when he opened them. "How did you know?" he asked her. Kagome shook her head, disregarding his question as she sat in a nearby chair and hung her head.

"I really am weak, aren't I?"

Inuyasha glanced at her, finally noticing her shoulder and her bandaged foot. "What the hell happened to you?"  
  
"We were attacked," Kagome answered. "Sesshoumaru had to rescue me, if you can believe he would do such a thing."

"Why wouldn't he?" Inuyasha asked, taking a seat on her bed. "I mean, he does love you and all."  
  
"He does not!" Kagome hissed, glaring at him. Inuyasha blinked and sat back as she stood up and poked him in the chest. "He only cares for himself."

"I take it you know about the dog in him."

Kagome snorted, shaking her head as she tried not to laugh. "Yeah, you could say that. Why didn't I see through you two? I mean, Kouga is one thing, but I should have been able to see him. Why couldn't I?"  
  
"That would be because of the palace houshi," Inuyasha answered. "See, he created a few sealing spells for us so that we could blend in with humans."

"But that still doesn't say why I couldn't detect you," Kagome complained. Inuyasha sighed and motioned for her to sit beside him.

"Think: What's the one difference between youkai and human?"  
  
"You mean other than super strength and vitality?"  
  
"On a spiritual level Kagome," Inuyasha groaned. Kagome thought a moment, then shrugged. "Girls," Inuyasha grumbled, earning a tweak to his ears in response. "Hey! Don't do that!"  
  
"Then explain!"

"Fine fine." Inuyasha rubbed his ears, then shook his head. "The difference is that humans have a purity inside them somewhere. It varies from person to person, with the strongest being inside mikos like yourself. Youkai and hanyou have no purity, so that's why they die when they're purified."

"But wouldn't the absence of good make youkai evil creatures?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Not absence of good, absence of _purity._ That's different. It's like youki. That's why mikos become irate or change when youkai blood is introduced into their system."

"I didn't know that," Kagome said. "Is it all youkai blood that causes this?"  
  
"Yeah, but I don't know the fundamentals of it."

"Oh." Kagome sighed, then rested her head in her hands. "I don't know what's real anymore."

"What's the matter Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, watching as a single tear fell from her hands. Kagome sighed again.

"You're brother is the matter. He's the miko killer."

"Don't start that!" Inuyasha growled defensively. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Then tell me something Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled back. "If Sesshoumaru's not the miko killer, or the legend is wrong, then why didn't he tell me who he was?"

"He didn't tell you?" Inuyasha stopped, taking a moment to think. "Then how did you find out?"  
  
"We were attacked by youkai; a lot of youkai. He had to change."

"Oh." Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know Kagome. I thought he would tell you. I told Katrina."

"When?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"It's been at least four months."

"That does nothing but prove my point," Kagome grumbled, flopping backward onto her bed.

"What point?"  
  
"That Sesshoumaru never cared about me," Kagome answered. "If he did, then he would have told me just like you told Katrina. I don't want anything else to do with him."  
  
"Look Kagome," Inuyasha said, moving from her bed to a nearby chair. "I can't tell you why Sesshoumaru didn't tell you about him being youkai, nor why he didn't tell you that he's the Western Taiyoukai. All I can tell you is that he never does anything without a reason, and that he really does care about you."

"yeah right."

Inuyasha sighed and tightened his grip on his towel. "Before you decide that you don't want to try making things work with him, try to find out why you don't want to."

"Huh?" Kagome sat up and glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, its obvious that you're pissed off, but why are you pissed off?"

"Because he lied to me!" Kagome answered quickly. "I hate him!"

Inuyasha nodded, holding up his hands in a sort of peace treaty. "Alright then, but why does it matter so much?" He smiled soothingly, reaching out to ruffle her still damp hair. "To be honest Kagome, I agree with you. He should have told you. Like I said though, I can't tell you why he didn't. Only he can do that. Maybe you should ask him."

"Maybe I don't care," Kagome sniffed. Inuyasha frowned, then stood up. "I don't know about that. Hey, can I ask you for a favor?"  
  
"What is it?" Kagome asked.

"Send me back, then bring me back here in 10 seconds."

"Why?"

"I have yet to give Sesshoumaru his present." Inuyasha sighed at her frown, then turned sad puppy dog eyes toward her. "Please?" He tweaked his ears, mentally smiling when she nodded in agreement.

"I bet you always win arguments with that," Kagome grumbled as she prepared to send Inuyasha back. Inuyasha grinned evilly. "Nah, you're the first one to fall for it."

"Jerk," Kagome grumbled. "Inuyasha go."

He disappeared in seconds, leaving Kagome in the room by herself. She sat on the foot of her bed, setting her stopwatch for 20 seconds. 'That should give him time to find some pants. How was I supposed to know that he wasn't dressed yet?'

She closed her eyes and relaxed, her mind replaying Inuyasha's words. 'Could he be right?' Kagome wondered absently. 'After all, it's not like Sesshoumaru could have said it during regular conversation. I can see it now. 'Kagome darling, this salad is wonderful. By the way, I'm the western taiyoukai you used to fear when you were six.' That would have went over real well.'

Kagome shook her head sternly, glaring at the door connecting her to Sesshoumaru's room. 'No excuses. He still could have told me. If Inuyasha could tell his girl, then he could have told me.' She sniffed, wiping at her eyes before glancing at the stopwatch. 'Time to bring him back.'

"Inuyasha come."

Inuyasha appeared in front of her, the towel replaced with a black pair of jeans. He held a square red velvet box in his hands. "Here you go Kagome."  
  
"I thought you said this was Sesshoumaru's," Kagome said as she took the box. Inuyasha nodded.

"It is. I can't give it to him though. I have to go back right away. Sango and Miroku are looking for me. They've been worried about you."

"Why?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha scratched his chin. "I'm fine…sort of."

"To be honest, I don't know," Inuyasha answered. "They won't tell me a thing. It might have something to do with Sesshoumaru doing your progress reports for the past week."

'Week?' Kagome wondered as Inuyasha glanced outside. 'I've been out for a _week_?!'

"I've go to go Kagome," Inuyasha reminded her. "So send me back."

"OK."  
  
"Oh, and Kagome?"  
  
Kagome stopped mid circle. "Yeah?"  
  
"Remember what I said. Not everything is as it seems."

Kagome frowned, but nodded. "I will. I'll give this to Sesshoumaru too."

"Thanks. Bye Kagome."

"Bye Inuyasha. Inuyasha go."

Inuyasha disappeared once again, leaving Kagome with Sesshoumaru's gift. 'Well,' she though as she opened her room door and limped down the hallway. 'May as well get this over with.'

Kagome stumbled down the hallway to the stairs, finally stopping at the landing. The stained glass window was boarded up, the glass shards no where in sight as Ah and Un jumped at the sight of her.

"Kagome-chan," Ah greeted, frowning sadly as she merely stared at them. "How are you?"  
  
"How long have I been asleep?" Kagome asked.

"One week to be exact."

"Not exactly," Un corrected. "You have been awake only once."  
  
"Really?" Kagome sat on a nearby step. "I don't remember this."

"That's because you were in a great deal of pain when it happened," Ah answered as he and Un sat on either side of her. "You're shoulder was still bleeding, as was you're side."

"You nearly purified us," Un told her.

"Why?" Kagome asked, struggling to remember a third of what they were saying.

"Some youkai blood managed to mingle with your own. You were in a lot of pain because of it."

"That is true Kagome," Ah said gently at her disbelief. "Sesshoumaru-sama took it upon himself to purge it out of you."

Kagome touched the place where her neck and shoulder connected, glancing at the faint bite mark. "So that's where that came from."

"You were trying to purify the blood," Un continued. "And it was hurting in the process. Sesshoumaru-sama said that you thought you were on fire."

'Fire…' Kagome nodded slightly. 'I remember that…but I don't remember anything else.'

"We were so worried for you!" Ah exclaimed, he and Un hugging her. "We didn't know what to do!"

"I'm fine you guys," Kagome comforted, patting their heads. "I'm sorry I scared you. Can I ask you a couple of questions?"  
  
They nodded.

"OK. Um, what happened to the other servants?"  
  
Ah and Un exchanged uneasy glances, then sighed. "I guess she should know," Un said and Ah nodded in agreement.

"Know what?"  
  
"That we're the only servants here," Ah answered.

"Why didn't you guys just say that before?" Kagome asked.

"Because we didn't want you to become suspicious."  
  
"So the servant quarters only house you two?"  
  
"That's correct."

"Oh. OK then. Second question: Why didn't you tell me you were youkai?"  
  
Ah and Un hung their heads sadly. "Sesshoumaru-sama told us not to."

"Oh." 'Strike two.' Kagome stood and limped down the rest of the stairs, brushing off the twins' attempts to help her. "I'm fine you two. I just need to give Sesshoumaru something."

Their faces brightened instantly as they pointed to the kitchen. "He's in there."

"OK. Thanks."

Kagome left them behind, standing in the kitchen threshold and staring at the room ahead of her. Sesshoumaru sat at the bar in his human form, dressed in a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. His right elbow was propped on top of the counter, his forehead in his hand as he picked at a piece of cheesecake. He made no move to acknowledge her as Kagome crept into the room.

__

'You should forgive him Kagome,' a tiny voice in her subconscious advised. _'Look how miserable he is'_

'He wouldn't be this way if he would have told me the truth,' Kagome reminded it, shutting it off completely as she sat the red box by Sesshoumaru's plate. He glanced at it, then returned to his plate.

"Inuyasha-"

He turned toward her instantly, his eyes shining in curiosity and relief as Kagome spoke. "Inuyasha said to give this to you."

"Inuyasha?" He picked up the box, then turned to her. "When did you see him?"  
  
"Before I came downstairs. He says Merry Christmas. If you give me a few moments, I'll be ready to escort you to work."

"You shouldn't be moving around," Sesshoumaru told her as he reached out for her. Kagome took a step back instinctively, watching as his eyes widened, then hardened in understanding. "You're only going to injure yourself further."

"I'm sure you care," Kagome countered sarcastically. "But don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Now just give me a mom-"

"I'm not going to work," he said. He turned his back to her in dismissal. Kagome gawked, then huffed. "Fine." She flounced out the room as best she could, limping still. Sesshoumaru waited until she left, then stood up and threw the ruined pie in the trash.

Sesshoumaru opened the tiny box, revealing a small, golden pocket watch. He opened it, and on the inside were a picture of him and Kagome sleeping where the clock face should be. He glanced at the other side, finding the words

"It's about time…"

engraved on the other side. Sesshoumaru sighed heavily and put the watch in his pocket. 'If only it were…'

__

/Thursday 3:42 PM, Sesshoumaru's Office/

Sesshoumaru pushed away from the keyboard, his mind to scattered to truly focus on the information on the screen in front of him. He wearily rubbed the middle of his forehead, willing the massive migraine to go away.

__

'Who would have thought,' started his subconscious, eliciting a low moan from the taiyoukai. _'That one little human could cause so much stress.'_

'I do not want to hear this,' Sesshoumaru replied back, turning to attempt the numbers once again. 'I have better things to do.'

__

'That you're not doing because of her,' his subconscious countered back. _'You would not have this problem if you'd only listen to me.'_

'And where in our numerous conversations did you ever say to tell her about my lineage?' Sesshoumaru asked.

__

'Um….that's not important.'

"Figures," Sesshoumaru mumbled, reaching inside a nearby desk for a bottle of Advil.

__

'Now you're just being factious,' it replied back. _'Besides, I'm talking about this grand scheme of yours that's managed to blow up in your face.'_

'Now who's being encouraged by the little miko?'

__

'You're not listening.'

'I do try.'

__

'You're dry wit won't work on me,' it said smugly. '_I know you too well to be swayed by that. You're hurting inside, that's why you're so scatterbrained.'_

'So you say.'

__

'So I know. Look, do you even know why she's upset?'

Sesshoumaru looked up as the door opened, watching as Kagome silently slipped between the mahogany doors and came into the room. She glanced at him a moment, a pained look crossing her face before her eyes hardened.

"I didn't mean to disturb you," she said quietly.

"Nonsense," Sesshoumaru assured her. "If you would like to take a seat-"

"No, I don't think so," Kagome interrupted. "I have a staff meeting to conduct." She reached down and picked up her attaché. "If you'll excuse me."

Instead of going to the break room like Sesshoumaru thought, Kagome opened the office doors and stepped into the hallway outside.

__

'She doesn't want to be in the same room with you.'

'So I've noticed,' Sesshoumaru answered with a heavy sigh. 'I don't know what to do.'

__

'You mean to tell me that you care?'

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, then leaned back into his chair. 'Yes, I do care.'

__

'About bleeding time!' the voice cheered. Sesshoumaru shook his head and waited as the voice continued. _'Have you tried talking to her?"_

'You see how that went.'

__

'Oh yes. Quite. Well, you're going to have to talk to her. See what it is that's bothering her about you, and try to make it better.'

'Of course.' Sesshoumaru opened his eyes, a sudden epiphany clouding them as he considered the advice. 'Why didn't I think of that?'

__

'You just did, in a way.'

Sesshoumaru ignored this. 'That is all I have to do, isn't it? Just talk to her, see what it is that's bothering her, and fix it! It's not too late for this plan to work!'

__

'Um, Sesshoumaru,' the voice called as another plan began to whirl. _'That's not exactly what I had in mind.'_

'This will be perfect,' Sesshoumaru continued, ignoring the little voice as it began to fade away. 'No surprises this time. This time everything will go as planned.'

__

'But Sesshoumaru- '

Sesshoumaru shut off the voice quickly, then returned his attentions to Kagome. 'Yes, this will be better than last time. This time I'll give her whatever illusion she desires for her to stay with me. Then I'll have what is mine.'

/8:06 PM Tuesday, Living Room/

Sesshoumaru peered into the living room, watching the silent occupant with interest.

Kagome sat on the floor before the fireplace, one of the thick blankets from the nearby closet wrapped around her shoulders. She seemed to be watching the fire intently, her dark ponytail flickering every now and again with her movements.

"Stop watching me Sesshoumaru. I'm not going to up and disappear."

"I don't know about that," Sesshoumaru replied, his calm demur belying his surprise at being detected. "May I sit down."

"Your house," Kagome answered dryly, sparing him a sideways glance as he sat down beside her. He crossed his legs beneath him, resting his hands in his lap as he too watched the fire. They sat in silence for a few moments, then Kagome sighed.

"Kagome, I want to talk-"

"I don't."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, then shook his head. "I think we should. We can't be efficient in our duties with this hanging over our heads. If it must be said, I am sorry."

"For what?" Kagome asked. "For not telling me, or me finding out in the first place?"

"Kagome, look-"

"Setting up for another lie I see."

"That was uncalled for," Sesshoumaru countered, growling slightly as he calmed his youki. "What is so important about my being youkai anyway?"

"You don't get it do you!" Kagome shouted, ignoring Sesshoumaru's cringe at the decimal. "You just don't understand!"

"Then help me," Sesshoumaru beseeched softly, attempting to calm her growing temper. "Because you're right. I don't understand."

"I've done some thinking…and I realized that I'm not exactly angry with you."

Sesshoumaru blinked, having no doubt about the confusion that was so plain on his face as he turned to her. "You're…not? Then why-"

"I'm pissed, don't get me wrong," Kagome whispered, her eyes once again fixed on the fire. "But I realized that I'm only pissed because I'm hurt. I trusted you Sesshoumaru."

"But you don't now?"

"How could I?" Kagome answered honestly. "See, you're right about me not believing you. I would have laughed my head off if you'd have told me, then possibly freaked but at least you would have told me. I could have gotten used to it, but you never gave me the chance. You just-" She sighed, closing her eyes a moment before gazing down at the floor.

"You don't love me Sesshoumaru. I don't believe you ever did. If you did, you would have told me. You wouldn't have let me find out the way I did. You wouldn't have allowed me to feel like such an idiot. You didn't trust me to handle it.

"How can you love someone you don't trust?"

Sesshoumaru thought a moment, trying to find a way to answer her when Kagome stood up and began to leave the room. "Kagome, wait a moment."

"For what? What could you have to say that would possibly make this better?"

"Is it because I'm youkai?"

Kagome thought a moment, leaning against the doorframe as Sesshoumaru watched her. "It's that, and it's more than that. Goodnight Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru sat quietly as she left, her words replaying once again in his mind. 'She is right of course. But there must be some way to change her mind about me.'

__

How can you love someone you don't trust…

'Perhaps this isn't as hard as it seems,' Sesshoumaru thought. 'Maybe I'm trying too hard…or…' An evil smirk crossed his lips as a suitable plan began to form. 'I'm not trying hard enough…'

__

/1:53 PM Saturday, The Dojo/

Kagome stood in the middle of the room, watching as the purple ki flooded the room. 'I must remember to keep it contained,' she reminded herself as it lapped at the barrier she erected in front of the door. 'It wouldn't do to purify anyone by accident.'

__

'You may as well. After all, that's what you want.'

'That is not what I want,' Kagome countered as one of the four mannequins she placed around her blew apart.

__

'And why not?'

'Because it's not professional.' Another mannequin exploded, but the one in front of it was shielded by a pink bubble-like shield. Kagome observed behind purple-clouded eyes.

__

'Falling for him wasn't professional either, but you still did. Can't you find it in you to at least try to forgive him?'

'Nope.' Kagome sighed, pulling in her ki and transporting the splinters around her to the garbage outside. She teleported herself to her room, grabbing a duffel bag out of the closet before leaving the room.

"Kagome-chan?" Ah asked as she rounded the corner. "May I still call you that?"

"Of course Ah. I'm not mad at you or Un anymore. I understand that you were only following orders."

"But what of Sesshoumaru-sama?" Ah asked, flinching at the glare she sent his way.

"What of him?" Kagome sauntered past, tossing the duffle bag over her shoulder as she descended the steps. "If you need me, I'm at the pool."

Sesshoumaru growled lightly, then struck. "Damn it!" he snarled when smoke began to rise and sparks flew. "That's the third one this week!"

Un scrambled in the study moments later, fire extinguisher in hand. "Are you alright my lord?" he asked as he sprayed the flaming remains of the computer. Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Yes, I am. I need a break however. I'm going for a walk."

"Of course my lord," Un said as Sesshoumaru stepped past him. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this."

Sesshoumaru nodded as he walked down the hallway, grumbling as he brushed the smoke away from his plum silk shirt. 'Just great,' he grumbled. 'Another computer completely ruined. Whatever happened to my discipline?'

He strolled through the kitchen and out the patio door, surprised to find Kagome's scent leading toward the patio doors. He followed it instinctively, his nose leading him through the frozen gardens outside. The snow crunched beneath his shoes and stuck to his black trousers, yet he thought nothing of the cold weather as he reached the pool house.

He opened the door, sniffing gingerly as he glanced around the room. He thought Kagome to be gone at first, but then spied a single flicker of green in the middle of the pool. Sesshoumaru crossed the room toward her, attempting to gage whether or not she sensed him when he froze mid step.

He watched her a moment longer, finally taking the time to fully study her as she floated face down on the water's surface. She made no movements, her hair swirling darkly around her as she lied there motionless.

Panic suddenly gripped Sesshoumaru, tightening his chest as he dove into the water fully clothed. He swam to her quickly, his ears focusing on her faint heartbeat as he swam beneath her. 'Please don't be dead,' he chanted to himself as he propelled himself toward her. 'I don't know if the real Tenseiga still works. Please don't be dead.'

Arms wrapped around Kagome's waist, and an instant later she and Sesshoumaru sat on the side of the pool, Kagome angrily sputtering water.

"What the hell?" she gasped after a moment, trying to remove herself from Sesshoumaru's arms. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Sesshoumaru ignored her, moving her legs so she straddled his as he checked her over. Kagome attempted to shove him away, only to have him grab her wrists and pin them behind her.

"What are you _doing_?!" she screeched, satisfied when Sesshoumaru winced and paused. He clamped his hands over his ears, glaring at her a moment as her echo rang throughout the room. Kagome waited until Sesshoumaru uncovered his ears, then "Well, are you going to answer me or not?"

"Are you injured?" he asked, ignoring her question. Kagome shook her head. "No, not that I think so. Except for the small shock you just gave me. What the hell was that about Sesshoumaru?!"

"You were drowning!" Sesshoumaru protested. "What was I supposed to do?"  
  
"I was _not_ drowning!" Kagome countered. "I was meditating."  
  
Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "You meditate face down in water?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, is that a crime?"

"I don't know Marshal. You tell me." He sighed at her glare, shaking his head as he draped his arms around her waist. "I didn't know. I thought you were hurt."

"You…you were worried," Kagome asked softly, her eyes downcast when he nodded. "Why? You're supposed to hate me."  
  
"I don't think I could hate you," Sesshoumaru answered truthfully. He pulled her into his embrace, relaxing when she rested her head on his shoulder. "I am sorry for ruining your meditation."

"Sesshoumaru. Let go of me."

Sesshoumaru did so reluctantly, watching the dark cloud pass over her face like an infection. "Kagome-"

"I have to go." Kagome attempted to stand, gasping when Sesshoumaru jerked her back to his lap. "Sesshoumaru, what are you-"

"For once, you're going to listen to me today," Sesshoumaru commanded, leaving no room for argument as his tail wrapped around her waist. "I've been most gracious to you, so this is the least you can do."

"Sesshoumaru, let-"

"No."

Kagome glared at him, Sesshoumaru reflecting it with an icy look of his own as his mind whirled into action. "You're a hypocrite."

Kagome blinked, not entirely sure she heard him right. "Say what?"

"You heard me," Sesshoumaru growled lightly. "You-Are-A-"

"I heard you the first time. Now tell me why I shouldn't make you human for saying that."

"Because it's the truth." Sesshoumaru frowned down at her, then at his shirt. "Just great. This is ruined."

"You were saying."

Sesshoumaru flicked some water from his collar, then nodded. "You say that you love me. If you did, would this make a difference?"

"Would what-" Sesshoumaru raised a clawed hand to her eye level. "Oh yeah. That."

"Yes, that. What difference does it make if I'm youkai?"  
  
"It makes a difference because you didn't tell me!" Kagome accused. "You should have told me."

"Perhaps I should have," Sesshoumaru replied. "But if I had, you already said that your reaction would have been bad. If you loved me the way you said you did, then it shouldn't matter what I am."

"But Sesshoumaru, you're-"

"The miko killer?" Sesshoumaru spat angrily. "Yes, I remember you saying something about that." Kagome flinched at the anger in his voice, not entirely used to having his fury directed at her. "You have no idea what you're ancestors put me through, do you?"

Kagome shook her head blankly, watching as his eyes shifted from hazel to brown in microseconds.

"My mother didn't die of illness, or anything of the like. She died trying to protect me. Miko killed my mother. Is it a wonder I'm so wary around you?"

"Oh Sesshoumaru," Kagome gasped. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" he growled. "That you couldn't be there to do it? You and you're tajia friend? You humans are all the same." Sesshoumaru stood and turned, shocked with the level of emotion he just displayed. 'What possessed me to tell her that?' he asked himself as he unwound his tail from Kagome's waist and began to leave. 'And why does her calling me that bother me?'

"Sesshoumaru!" Sesshoumaru stopped as Kagome stepped in front of him. He sidestepped her, only to have her reappear in front of him. "Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry. Really."  
  
Sesshoumaru allowed himself to visibly soften; after all, he could never truly stay angry with her. "My thanks."

"I mean for everything," Kagome whispered. "I just…I don't know what to think anymore. I'm confused." She hung her head sadly, her fingers twiddling in front of her as Sesshoumaru watched on. "I mean…I just…" She sniffed and covered her face with her hands. "I just don't understand."

"Kagome," he sighed softly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him. "For all it is worth, I wish I would have told you now."

"You do?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "It seems as if you can't seem to get past this. Maybe if I had told you, then I would have seen your reaction and protected myself from you."

He could have smirked when she reacted predictably, raising her tearstained face to his with her surprise evident on her face. 'That's the one thing I like about you Kagome,' he thought as she struggled for words. 'You're heart is on your sleeve, or on your face as the case may be.'

"What do you mean by protecting yourself from me?" Kagome asked. "I wouldn't purify you."

"But you've done much worse," Sesshoumaru answered. He let go of her and turned his back to her, his mental smirk widening when she gasped in surprise.

"Sesshoumaru? I don't understand."

"You never needed to purify me," he said softly. "This is enough. You'd have never accepted me the way I am, so I thought that you would if I were human. That's why I didn't tell you."  
  
"But that's why I don't trust you. How can I when you keep something like this from me. It makes me wonder what else you're hiding."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, but kept his back to her as he spoke. "Do you think I would hurt you?" 'Yes,

He thought to himself as Kagome struggle to answer. 'That is a good question.'

"I…I don't know," Kagome answered. Sesshoumaru sighed, slightly saddened by her answer. "Why don't you?"

"I just…It's hard to tell what you'd do now."

Sesshoumaru turned to her then, his hands gently clasped to her shoulders. "But you know I wouldn't."

"I do?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Are you sure?"

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes, deciding instead to rub his forehead delicately. "I'm very sure. I'll even give you an example." Kagome waited patiently as Sesshoumaru thought. "Ah. Do you remember when we first met?"

"Yes…"

"And you were taking dictation for me ?"

"Yeah…"

"Wasn't it I that kept you from falling down those stairs?" Sesshoumaru looked on as she thought a moment, then smirked when she nodded.

"Yeah, but that's just one time."

"Then you don't remember me rescuing you from that group of youkai on that rooftop two months ago."

Kagome started to giggle, leaning over slightly as she gasped for air. "Rescue. Haha. That's rich."  
  
"What?"

Kagome smiled up at him, the first in two weeks. "You, playing the knight in shining armor. Not exactly textbook of you."

"Nothing is textbook about me. The night you were hurt, I only changed to protect you. I would have been perfectly happy to fight Naraku in my human form." He cupped her cheek in his hand, a soft smile playing on his lips as he gazed into her eyes. "I apologize for not telling you, but I won't apologize for being myself. I won't change, no matter how much you want me to."

"Oh Sesshoumaru!" She threw her arms around his neck, embracing him for once instead of the other way around. "I never said that you have to change! I'm sorry!"

"Don't be," her replied, cupping the back of her head as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm the one that should be sorry."  
  
"Then we're both sorry," Kagome concluded. Sesshoumaru nodded, agreeing with the compromise as relief and something unknown flooded over him. He relaxed against her, forgetting about his wet and ruined clothes as he inhaled her scent.

"I've missed this," he whispered, unaware of it slipping his lips until Kagome said "I missed this too."

"Does this mean you forgive me?" he asked, smiling when she nodded.

"However…"

"However?" Sesshoumaru quirked a brow curiously, once again looking at her as she brushed his wet bangs away from his face. "However what?"

"There are to be no more secrets," Kagome instructed. "So if there's anything you need to tell me, now would be a good time."

Sesshoumaru thought a moment, his eyes falling to the pink crystal around her neck before shaking his head. "No, there is nothing else."

"Are you sure?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Good," Kagome said with a sigh. "Then yes, I forgive you." She gasped when he hugged her again, this time with all the unknown pent up tension inside of him. "Sesshoumaru," she gasped, her face swiftly turning red from lack of air. "You're squishing me."

"Oh." He let go instantly, laughing to himself as Kagome gasped for breath. "What's so funny?" she asked, one hand to her heart as she lightly shoved him back. Sesshoumaru pushed his hair back with one slick move, then shook out his tail.

"Ooooo!" Sesshoumaru turned to her instantly, watching as curiosity took over her face like a child's. "May I see it Sesshoumaru?"

"This?" He pointed to his tail and she nodded. "What are you willing to give me?"

"The rest of your life," she growled, her hands on her hips as her fingers glowed a soft purple.

Sesshoumaru nodded, deciding to let her spend her fancy just this once. It moved toward her lazily, creeping up her leg and winding around her torso. She giggled as some of it looped across her head, making a sort of makeshift scarf with the end of it idly moving from side to side at her waist.

Sesshoumaru propelled her toward him, purring slightly when she began to pet it. "I've wanted to do that since I met you," he admitted, resting his chin on top of her head and watching her. She seemed fully enthralled with it, and in turn with him once again.

'This is how it should be,' he thought to himself as the tip of her tail began to tickle her. 'Her and I like this…this feels…right. I guess the saying is true; you really don't know what you have until it's gone.'

Kagome smiled up at him, a cloud moving above them to allow the sun to peer through at the same time. The sunlight brightened her eyes, giving them an ethereal glow that made her all the more beautiful. She kissed his nose and turned back to his tail, the blissful look on her face muted a hundred fold by her thoughts.

'I've missed him haven't I?' she determined as she swatted at the tip of his tail playfully. 'And I've missed being like this. He's right, it shouldn't matter about him being youkai, but that doesn't mean I'll just forget this. I'll forgive him this time. I just hope there's never a next time. I don't believe I could give him a third chance.'

"Oh, and Kagome?"

Kagome glanced up at him, noting the mischievous smirk on his face. "Yes Sesshoumaru?"

"Happy Birthday."


	29. The Sheep in Wolves' Clothing and The Tr...

.Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Sheep in Wolves' Clothing and The Truth Behind the Necklace

/Friday, Feb. 6; 11:30 PM, Jacksonville Fla./

"The new moon," Inuyasha sighed despondently, gazing up at the cloudless sky. 'I'm so glad this is almost over. It feels as if the entire world shut off and didn't tell me."

"Inuyasha…"

He turned, a gentle smile gracing his lips as Katrina watched him from the doorway of the back porch. "Yea?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Katrina reached for his hand, smiling as she began to pull him back inside. "Are you sure?" she asked when he stood directly in front of her. Inuyasha nodded and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure. You worry too much."

"That's what you say. Now come on, Sango and Miroku already have the movie started."

"Alright then."

Inuyasha allowed her to lead him to the couch and the living room, where Sango and Miroku were waiting for them. "What's on the list tonight?"

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," Sango chirped, leaning over to pop the DVD into the player. "I just love Sean Connery, don't you Kats?"

"Sure do," Katrina agreed. "He's so sophisticated!"

"That old goat," Miroku teased, grazing his hand against Sango's backside as he passed her on his way to the couch. "That's so perverse."

"You would know, pervert!" Sango said as she lightly smacked his arm. Katrina giggled as Miroku dodged the rest of Sango's 'assault' before they both stopped to figure out the DVD player. They fiddled with it a few moments longer as Inuyasha and Katrina settled down onto the couch.

Inuyasha tucked Katrina underneath his arm, she propping herself up on the couch arm other side as Sango and Miroku began to argue.

"You're doing it wrong," Sango said as Miroku began to push random buttons. "And how would you know that?" he asked her. Sango responded by shoving him out of the way. "Because I know dummy."

Inuyasha watched them argue for a moment longer, then looked down at Katrina's sigh. 'I'm not the only one distracted tonight,' he determined as a shadow passed over her face. 'But she doesn't seem like anything but her normal self.' "A penny for your thoughts…"

Katrina blinked, then smiled and looked up at him. "I'm fine. I'm just thinking about my father."

"Is he alright?" Her eyes clouded over as she nodded. "Yes, or at least I hope so."

"What do you mean by-"

"There we go!" Sango chirped as the DVD player came to life. "I told you I could do it!"  
  
"I never said you couldn't, Butterfly," Miroku replied as Sango disappeared into the kitchen. She came out moments later with two bowls of popcorn. "Then what were you trying to say?" she asked, passing Inuyasha one of the bowls.

"That a man could have done it faster."

Sango thought a moment, then slammed the remaining bowl on top of his head. "There," she said, dusting off her hands as Inuyasha and Katrina laughed at them. "That's what I think of that."

Inuyasha shook his head, momentarily forgetting his question as a knock sounded from the front door.

"Who could that be at this time of night," Miroku wondered as he and Sango exchanged glances. Sango shrugged and walked toward the door. "It must be the FBI. I'll go get it."

She disappeared from the room and down the hallway. "Can I help you-OH!" A thump and a crash a few seconds later, then Sango rolled into the room with a handful of men dressed in black behind her.

"Sango, are you alright!" Miroku exclaimed as he kneeled down to check her over. She nodded groggily, holding the side of her head as she glared at the men in front of them. "Yeah, but they cheat."

"What do you want?" Inuyasha demanded, he and Katrina rising to their feet. "Whatever it is, take it and go."

"Then this will be easy then," the leader sneered. "We want you. If you come quietly, we won't bust up you're friends."

"Yeah right," Inuyasha growled, pushing Katrina behind him. "Get out before I throw you out."

"Nope, not part of the orders," the man replied as the others behind him began the circle the little group. "But since you want to be difficult…" He lunged out first, his fist flying toward Inuyasha's face. Sango stepped between the two at the last moment, caught the man by the wrist and shoved him back toward his group as Inuyasha pushed Miroku and Katrina behind the couch.

"Protect her," he growled, not stopping to wait for a reply as he jumped over the couch and into the fight head first. Miroku sighed, then punched a man who came too close to his liking.

"Are you alright Kats?" he asked, noticing her ashen features. Katrina nodded silently, then pointed to the fight. Miroku turned just in time to see Sango take a blow to the chin. She stumbled to her knees, but recovered quickly.

Inuyasha seemed to be taking the worst of the battle, with at least five men trying to grab him from all sides. Katrina watched all this quietly, her mind spinning as to what to do.

'If I help them, then I can forget Naraku's promise,' she thought to herself as Sango took another blow. 'But if I don't, then Sango and Miroku could get seriously hurt. I don't want that, but what do I do?

__

'You do what I tell you to do…' a voice beaconed in her head. _'That is, if you ever wish to see our father free again…'_

Katrina shook violently, grasping the sides of her head as she attempted not to cry out. 'But they're my friends!'

__

'You have no friends,' it mocked her, laughing when a single tear slipped from her closed eyes. _'Especially when they find out that you're not Miss Goody-Goody after all. I can't wait for that day…Now do not make us wait! Bring the hanyou!'_

She winced from the volume, then sighed in relief as the voice left her. 'He's right. If only for Father.' She opened her eyes and scanned the room. Inuyasha was still fighting, thought his strength seemed to be leaving him, but Sango was unconscious, taking blows from the men around her. 'And I have to stop this.' She slammed her fist into the back of Miroku's head, smiling sadly as he fell to the floor. 'Sorry Miroku. Just think of it as payback for all the times you groped me and I didn't say anything.' Katrina reached inside her pocket, pulled out a silver dart blower and aimed for the back of Inuyasha's neck.

A second later, the dart was fired, and Inuyasha gripped his shoulder as the tip sank in and delivered its poison. He turned to look at her, surprise darkening his face as he attempted to fight off the dart's affects. Katrina watched as he finally closed his eyes and let sleep overcome him, slumping forward into the arms of one of the men around him.

"What do we do now?" one of the men asked Katrina as she put the dart blower back into her pocket.

"Take him to the car outside and prepare to leave."

"What of the others?"

Katrina looked around her sadly, already missing the friendship she just threw away. "Leave them here. Unharmed."

The men nodded and dragged Inuyasha toward the door as something caught Katrina's attention. The men who were fighting Sango seemed obvious to her order, as they continued to kick and punch her unconscious form.

"I said stop," Katrina commanded as she walked toward them. They ignored her, grinning and laughing as one landed a nasty punch to Sango's stomach. "I said-" she grabbed one by the throat, her claws extending into it as volts of electric current surged through her fingers. "To stop. Are you hard of hearing?"

"No," the others said around him, watching in horror as she continued to shock the poor man in her grasp. Katrina turned to look at the others around her as smoke began to trail from the man's ears. "From now on, this is what happens to whoever doesn't listen to me. Understood?"

She released the man slowly, smirking with satisfaction as the others watched his lifeless body fall to the floor. They nodded in understanding moments later.

"Good. Go prepare to leave."

They left the room quickly, some spying back warily as Katrina kneeled at Sango's side. "I'm so sorry Sango," she whispered when she was sure the others were gone. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. I know that doesn't help, but it is the truth." She brushed back some of Sango's hair, wincing at the black eye on the right side of her face. "Let me see if I can fix this."

Katrina touched Sango's forehead and closed her eyes, deeply meditating as they both began to glow a fiery red. They glowed steadily for a few moments, then Katrina opened her eyes and sighed.

"That's the best I can do," she said as the glow faded and the room returned to normal. Katrina sighed once again, then left the room.

/_Saturday, 1:02 AM; Boston Mass./_

"Girl I know!" Rin exclaimed as she walked up her walkway to her front door. "I can't believe Talim did that! She's such a trip!" She giggled ecstatically, unlocking the door and stepping inside.

"That dance? Believe it or not, I learned it from Sesshoumaru-sama's new girlfriend!" She frowned at her phone suddenly, then shook her head as she walked into the kitchen. "He's too old for you anyway. Besides, I think they're perfect together. She's so cute! And she can dance too!"

She walked past the kitchen door to the refrigerator, opening it and grabbing a can of Vanilla Pepsi. "Yeah, well, I don't know what to tell you. Sesshoumaru-sama's different than anyone you've ever-"

Crunch!

Rin stopped as something broke underneath her feet. She stepped back and bent down, spying a broken circle of glass. She picked up a splinter, then glanced at the kitchen door beside her. "Hey Xianguia, I'm going to have to call you back," she said, hanging up the phone before her friend had a chance to answer. She stood up and held back the small curtain covering the window of the kitchen door, fingering a small hole big enough to fit her hand through.

'That's just great,' Rin thought to herself as she opened the door. She looked in all directions, flicking on the porch light as she did so. 'Nope, nothing out here. It must have been a smash and grab, but the window looks like it was cut.'

She stepped back to close the door when someone suddenly grabbed her from behind and slammed it shut. Rin spun around, her eyes widening impossibly as two men leered at her.

"Well, if it isn't Sesshoumaru's pet human," one said as the other began to laugh. Rin frowned, biting back panic as she leaned against the door.

"If you know him, and know that I know him, then you know you're in deep shit right now; right?" she asked as she mentally tried to figure out what to do. The one directly in front of her was clearly youkai, with slanted silver eyes and black hair brushing the tips of his elfin ears. The one further away from her seemed to be human but both were males. The youkai smirked indifferently.

"We follow a different boss," he said as his partner agreed. "And he wants you to come with us like a good girl."

"I don't think so," Rin growled, kicking the youkai in the groin as hard as she could with the heel of her stilettos digging into the flesh of his crouch. He howled in agony, too stunned to breathe as Rin ran past him toward the living room.

The other stood in her way, smirking as Rin came closer to him. She reached up toward the hanging pan rack, grabbed a cast iron skillet, and swung as hard as she could toward his head. It hit with a satisfying _thoingggggg_, leaving the thug to lean against the counter as Rin ran out of the kitchen and toward the living room door.

'If I can just get to the door, the FBI guys will hear me and they'll come stop the-' The youkai grabbed her from behind, blinking owlishly as Rin brought the skillet crashing down on top of his head. 'And Sesshoumaru-sama said that teaching me how to fight would be a waste of time,' she commented to herself as she reached out for the doorknob.

She was grabbed from behind once again, this time with an arm wrapped around her waist with a hand covering her mouth. "Hurry up!" he grunted as the youkai stood back up. "I can't hold her much longer! She's squirming!"

The youkai brushed himself off, then smirked; his fangs flashing dangerously as he grasped Rin's chin. "You're pretty smart, for a human."

"Hey! What about me?" the male exclaimed from behind her. The youkai snorted. "Present company included. But you've had your fun. Now," he pressed a handkerchief to her nose, Rin instantly struggling to get away from it as he held it tighter. "Go to sleep."

Rin struggles became more violent, she kicking the human behind her in the shin before the sedative finally took its effect. She glared at them angrily as she passed out, her eyelids finally sliding closed as she relaxed in the human's arms.

"Holy fuck," he exclaimed as the youkai removed the handkerchief and put it back inside his pocket. "Naraku didn't say a damned thing about her being so-"

"Spirited," the youkai finished for him, grabbing Rin's coat and draping it around her before picking her up and out of the human's arms. "Yes, I wasn't expecting that either." He laughed then, a short, dark sound that sent chills up the human's spine. "But then again, I like them spirited. " He motioned for the human to open the door, him stepping outside as the human walked past him to a car parked nearby; out of the sight of the car with the bodies of the FBI agents inside.

"Hey Shu!" he called as he started the car. "Come on!"

"I don't think I'll be joining you," Shu answered as black wings sprouted from his back. "I think we'll travel alone for a while." He took to the air without a second thought, leaving the human to shrug and go about his own devices.

"I bet you and I will have fun together," he whispered darkly to Rin as she slept unaware. "Yes. I can't wait to see what that goody Katrina does when she sees you." His eyes flashed dark crimson for a moment, then returned to their bright silver as he flew into the horizon.

/6:49 AM/

Sesshoumaru sat on the edge of his bed, listening to the whirl of activity on the other side of the door. Kagome seemed to have just sprang to life at the sound of her alarm, frantically stumbling around as Sesshoumaru listened nearby.

'I wonder what the rush is,' he said as a wooden thunk sounded from the room. "Ow!" Kagome gasped, then started to giggle. "Here they are! I wonder how they got here."

'Such a strange creature,' Sesshoumaru thought as the water turned on in her bathroom. 'But what is her rush?' He heard Ah come into the room moments later, and shook his head at Kagome's surprised gasp.

"What's going on in here?" he heard Ah ask.

"Sesshoumaru's going to be late because of me!"

'Huh?' Sesshoumaru tapped his chin thoughtfully, trying to remember exactly what she meant as Ah asked "Late for what?"

"For work of course!"  
  
Ah started to laugh, along with Sesshoumaru's short chuckle. "But Kagome-chan, today is Saturday."

"It is?" Sesshoumaru could see her face, the perfect confusion as she undoubtedly tried to remember what day it was. "It is, isn't it?"

"It sure is Kagome-chan."

"Then get out."

"What?" Ah asked as Sesshoumaru blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"Because I'm going back to bed."

Sesshoumaru shook his head as Ah excused himself, the ryuu youkai no doubt as amused as he as the door clicked closed. Sesshoumaru waited a few minutes, then crept into her room, softly closing the door behind him. He walked to the foot of her bed, then snaked beneath the covers and slowly crawled over the length of her body to the head of the bed.

Sesshoumaru's head appeared above Kagome's moments later, him looking down on her with a sort of fondness shining in his eyes. 'She looks so innocent when she sleeps,' he thought to himself. He positioned himself between her legs, moving her hands so that they were on either side of her head. 'And she sleeps like the dead. That's not good.' He lowered his ear to her nose, listening to her slow and steady breaths for a moment before nodding.

'No, she's not injured. Just a deep sleeper. Hmmm…' Sesshoumaru grinned evilly, his eyes glowing a deep amber as he sat up. He held the blanket up around them, smiling to himself as he shook his head at her attire.

'She sleeps in the strangest things sometimes,' he said to himself, his eyes roving over the carolina blue tank top and pants. There was orange piping down the legs and on the straps, with an orange cat on the front of the tank top. The words 'Garfield' were stamped down one leg, with another smaller picture of the cat on the helm of the same leg. 'I'm going to have to buy her better things to sleep in, ones she won't ignore. Would it kill her once to sleep nude?'

The very idea widened his smirk, his imagination working overtime as Kagome shirted underneath him. 'You know, that's not a bad idea. I'm so close to completely having her to myself. I only have one more threshold to go over, then she'll be completely mine.'

Sesshoumaru leaned over her, tracing small lines and circles and lines along her neck as he inhaled her scent. The smell of water still hung around her, along with the apple blossom shower gel she used. The thunderstorms underneath attracted him, intoxicating him like no drug could.

Kagome smiled in her sleep, shifting once again as her right hand crept beneath her pillow. Sesshoumaru settled himself over her, a hand sliding down her side to her hip as he nosed her ear. She turned toward him, her cheek brushing against his before turning back to face away from him.

'I could take advantage of you,' he thought as his fingers lingered around the waistband of her pants. 'I could, and you could not stop me. I could finally have you, and all while you sleep unaware.' He frowned at his sudden dark thoughts, wondering for a moment where they came from before shaking his head. 'No, I could never do that. It would be against my honor. But why-'

Kagome sighed suddenly, her head turning so that she faced the ceiling. Sesshoumaru smiled down at her, a truly rare one without the taint of cynicism behind it. 'So innocent…I couldn't taint that. But I can wait-' he kissed the base of her throat 'As long as it takes-' he kissed behind her ear, smiling at her soft moan 'to have-' he kissed her jaw line, then her chin 'what I want.'

Sesshoumaru paused a moment, rubbing the tip of his nose against hers before brushing his lips against hers. Kagome shifted again, but Sesshoumaru held her still as he traced bottom lip with his tongue…

Only to stop as cold steel pressed against his throat.

He opened his eyes, his lips never moving as he stared down into amused blue ones. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kagome asked sleepily, the dagger still at his throat as she looked around the room. "And what are you doing?"

"Biding you good morning, or so I thought," Sesshoumaru replied, noticing the playful glint in her eyes.

"There are better ways to do that," Kagome told him. "Ways that do not end like this."

"Then where would the fun be?"

Kagome sighed, shaking her head as her legs hooked around his. She flipped their positions before Sesshoumaru could protest, her hair cascading over her right shoulder to pool beside his head. "You have a weird idea of fun, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru smirked indifferently, it widening when the dagger pressed deeper into his neck. "I could say the same about you, with our current situation."

"Well, you could have said something before you started to feel me up," Kagome protested, ignoring Sesshoumaru's tail as it crept around her waist.

"Would it make things better?" he asked, a plan already surging into action. Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. You haven't tried i-"

"Good morning Kagome," he whispered seconds before he pulled her head towards him and kissed her again. She gasped in surprise, the dagger forgotten as Sesshoumaru's other arm draped across her back. His left hand was firmly clasped in her hair, holding her in place as he ravened her mouth. He purred lightly when she didn't shove him away, her compliance to his attentions increasing ten fold when his tongue encircled hers.

Kagome moaned in protest after a few minutes, her need to breathe outweighing her urge to continue. Sesshoumaru released her reluctantly, his eyes teasing as Kagome collapsed on his chest. "God," she puffed as she tried to catch her breath. "That's a way to wake up in the morning."

"Humans," Sesshoumaru teased, catching her hand when she reached up to smack him. "So fragile. How do you stand yourselves?"

"How do I stand you is the real question," Kagome muttered, sitting up and straddling his waist. "Now what do you want?"

"Is that a serious question?" Sesshoumaru asked, his hands on her waist as a mischievous gleam shone in his eyes. "Because if you're taking requests…"

"Get your hands off me, you pervert," Kagome groaned, attempting to crawl away from him to the other side of the bed. Sesshoumaru grabbed her, hauling her back to her previous position as he moved the dagger to the nightstand. "Don't you have some taiyoukai business to attend to?"

"No."

"Company business."

"I make it a point not to work on the weekends."

"Sometimes I wonder if you make it a point not to work at all." She squeaked when Sesshoumaru squeezed her backside, whacking him in the arm as he laughed at her. "Pervert! And I thought Miroku was bad!"

"You would mention another man's name while in bed with me?" Sesshoumaru pouted, feigning hurt. Kagome huffed in annoyance. "When you act like him I do."

"Well, allow me to make you forget about him." Kagome yelped when he shoved her backward, watching as he pounced on her and started to tickle her.

"Ack! Sesshoumaru!" she giggled, struggling to get away from her 'attacker'. "Stop it! I can't-hahah!- I can't breathe!"

Ring!

Kagome glanced up at the phone, nudging Sesshoumaru's side with her knee. "The phone's ringing."

"I know. I hear it."

"Don't you think you should answer it?"

Ring!

"Ah or Un will get it," Sesshoumaru told her as he kissed the corner of her mouth. "Besides, I don't want to get it."

"But what if it's for me?"

"Don't Sango and Miroku normally call you on your cell?" he asked, smirking when she nodded.

Ring!

"But what if it's for you?"

Sesshoumaru snorted lightly, his breath dancing on Kagome's neck. "Then I definitely don't want to answer it."

"Sesshoumaru!"

Ri-!

"See," he said as the phone stopped ringing. "Ah or Un have it, like I said. Now, what were we doin-"

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Ah called over the p.a. system. Sesshoumaru groaned as Kagome started to giggle, his head collapsing into the crook of her shoulder. "Sesshoumaru-sama. There's an important call for you."

"See, I told you," Kagome replied as Sesshoumaru reached for the p. a. system button. Sesshoumaru scowled. "Are you supposed to be psychic now?"

"Nope, that's you Miss Cleo."

Sesshoumaru reached for her again, ready for another tickle fight when Ah's voice called over the intercom again. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"I'm here Ah," Sesshoumaru finally replied, casting a cool glance at Kagome. She merely brushed it aside, laughing merrily at his distress. "Who is it?"

"He didn't say," Ah replied. "He only said that he was a new business partner."

'I don't have a new partner,' Sesshoumaru said to himself, immediately becoming suspicious as he reached for the phone. "I have it Ah," he said before picking up the receiver and pushing the flashing red button. "Hello?"

"Hello Sesshoumaru-sama," a familiar voice cackled on the other end. "How long has it been since our last discussion?"

"Naraku…" Sesshoumaru growled, turning away from Kagome to sit on the other side of her bed. She turned to him upon mention of Naraku's name, trying to read his body language as he continued his conversation. "What do you want?"

"Merely to see how you are," Naraku reasoned happily. "I take it the New Year rang in well for you? Oh yes, that is right. You've had a burglary recently, haven't you?"

"What do you want?" Sesshoumaru growled again, ignoring Naraku's attempt at an ice breaker. Naraku sighed sadly.

"I'm just calling to say that I've given up on your company. I don't want it anymore."

"Hm." Sesshoumaru blinked, surprised. 'This is not like the hanyou,' he reasoned with himself. 'There is something up his sleeve.' "So you called me to tell me that?"

"That and that I want something else from you now."

'Should have guessed…' "What is it, halfbreed?"

"I want…oh, I'd say about $9 million. I'm sure you can spare it."

Sesshoumaru snorted angrily, barely aware of Kagome's hand on his shoulder. "And you expect me to just _give_ _it_ to you, just like that?"  
  
"Of course not!" Naraku laughed. "What kind of fool do you take me for? It'll be an exchange."

"Exchange?"

"Exactly," Naraku replied. "You give me the money, and I'll give you back someone important to you."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, his ears twitching at the sound of Kagome's cell phone ringing. "If you think kidnapping Inuyasha is going to motivate me, it's not. You'll give him back for free after a week."

"We have him, but I'm not exactly talking about him," Naraku said mysteriously. "There's someone else you cherish…here, I'll give you a hint." The other end was silent for a moment, then

"It's going to be some furniture moving when Sesshoumaru-sama gets here!" he heard Rin shout, her voice ringing out among what sounded like a scuffle. "And I can't wait to see it! Get your hands off me, pervert!"

Naraku returned to the line moments later, laughing at Sesshoumaru's snarl. "They won't hurt her…for now. But I will give her, and Inuyasha, to you. All you have to do is pay the money."

"When?" Sesshoumaru growled, it rumbling through the air like ocean currents against a sandy beach.

"Sometime today. I'll have to call you back. You can scrape that much money together, can't you?"

"Do not concern yourself," Sesshoumaru replied cooly. "You just make sure that a hair isn't missing from her head. If so…"

"Yes, yes. They'll be Hell to pay. I know Sesshoumaru-sama." Naraku chuckled one last time, bid Sesshoumaru farewell and hung up the phone. Sesshoumaru replaced the receiver as well, glaring at it as his poison seeped from his fingers. The plastic menace didn't have a chance against the corrosive toxin, as it turned into a vanilla-colored goo right before his eyes.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you." Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, remembering Kagome for the first time since the phone call. She stood on the other side of the room, her cell phone in her hands as she hung it up. She glanced toward him, and it was then that the scent of tears assaulted the air around them.

"Naraku attacked Rin and Inuyasha last night," Kagome whispered, unaware that Sesshoumaru already knew. "His men killed three FBI agents outside Rin's apartment and four outside Inuyasha's townhouse. Miroku has a concussion-"

"Which I'm sure he's used to, dealing with Sango," Sesshoumaru said gently, noticing how frail she seemed to look now. She held her head down, a single tear streaking down her face as he watched her. "Kagome, what's wrong?"

"Naraku took both Inuyasha and Katrina-"

'What?' Sesshoumaru started at Katrina's name. 'Naraku said nothing about her.'

"And Sango-" Kagome sniffed, another tear following its leader as she hugged herself. "Sango's in a coma."

His eyes widened, finding it hard to imagine the marshal in such a state as Kagome continued. "Apparently she took the worst of the attack. Three of her ribs are broken, a black eye, a lot of bruises and something called a brain laceration. I don't even know what that is."

She sat down on the floor, curling into a ball with her forehead resting on her knees. She sniffed again, the choked back a sob as Sesshoumaru sat beside her.

"The doctor's says that she shouldn't be breathing after the beating she received. They say it's a miracle. I should have been there." Sesshoumaru put his arms around her, soothing her as she crumpled against him. "She might die Sesshoumaru! She's my friend and I wasn't there to help her!"

"But you were here helping me," Sesshoumaru reminded her. "So I'm sure she understands. Besides," with this he tipped her face up to his, a gentle smile on his face as he whispered "I'm sure she'll be fine. That bitch has steel for blood, remember?"

Kagome blinked, not entirely sure what to make of what he said before falling into watery laughter. "Thanks Sesshoumaru," she said as Sesshoumaru dried her face. "I needed that."

"I know. I'm sure she'll be fine. I'll make sure of it."

"You will?" Sesshoumaru nodded, helping her to stand as he did so. "I will. I'll make some calls today."

"Alright. There's one more thing." Sesshoumaru waited for her to continue, wondering what else could have been said in such a short time. "We're to report to the Atlanta base as soon as possible."

"We are?"

"Yes. They know about Naraku's plan to ransom Inuyasha and the others off. We should get dressed."

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, exiting Kagome's room so she could have a moment alone. As he showered and changed, only one thought filtered through his mind.

__

'Why wouldn't Naraku ransom Katrina along with the others? What does the hanyou want with a human girl?'

/10:23 AM, Marshal Headquarters, Atlanta GA/

Sesshoumaru stood in the elevator beside Kagome, frowning at the scent of human lingering on the metal lift. He focused on Kagome's scent after a while, noting the simple black skirt and white blouse she wore for the trip.

"Why are you dressed like that?" he asked her, used to seeing her like this only for the office.

"There's a strategy meeting as well, and you're to attend half of it." She glanced at him then, and then motioned for him to bend down. He did so, glancing down at Kagome as she straightened his tie. He wore another suit, this one the same black as her shirt with a cobalt blue shirt and tie. "So try to be on your best behavior."

"I'm always on my best behavior," Sesshoumaru growled playfully, taking a moment to 'accidentally' brush his hand against her thigh.

"Sesshoumaru! Stop it! I'm serious."

"I know. You take the fun out of the day, you know that?"

"I will make it up to you," Kagome promised as the doors opened. "But for now, behave."

Sesshoumaru nodded, wondering to himself how she planned to pay him back as she led him out of the elevator and down the hall to a set of double doors. They opened instantly, revealing a large conference room with a single rectangular table. There were already marshals seated, including one he knew to be Kagome's boss as he and Kagome sat down on the far end of the table.

"Sorry for being so late," Kagome apologized. "Has the meeting started?"

"Not yet," Kaede told her as Shippou sat down beside her. "But you're just in time."

"Good morning everyone," a man said as he came into the room. "I'm Marsha Jason Toutousai. I take it this-" he gestured to Sesshoumaru "is Sesshoumaru Takamada?"

"Yes," Kagome said with a nod. "This is he."

"Then welcome to our meeting Mr. Takamada. I must say, you're a lucky man to have one of our best officers protecting you. She has yet to fail a mission."

"The pleasure is mine, I assure you," Sesshoumaru replied, noticing the embarrassment that tinged Kagome's scent. "She has been a great help."

"I'm sure she has," Marshal Toutousai replied, smiling in Kagome's direction before continuing. "As we all know, there have been recent threats to both Mr. Takamada and the now missing Mr. Hitame's life. Last night, between the hours of 11 o' clock and 1 o' clock this morning, both Mr. Hitame and Miss Juku were taken from their homes. There's a missing Katrina Messenger as well. Has there been any progress?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru spoke up, his mind still whirling around Katrina's disappearance. "Naraku called me himself just a few hours ago, requesting a ransom for both Inuyasha and Rin in exchange for their safety."

"I see," Marshal Toutousai replied. "That is news to us. What else was said?"

"That he would call me later today to schedule the drop off."

"Wonderful," Marshal Toutousai replied. "Then we'll have to bug you're phone, if you don't mind."

"I do not," Sesshoumaru answered, handing his phone to Shippou, who immediately retrieved a small device and began inserting it into the phone.

"Good. You're cooperation is appreciated Mr. Takamada. When you receive the phone call, please don't hesitate to alert us first."

"I won't," Sesshoumaru replied as Shippou handed him back the phone. "It is the least I can do."

"Well we still appreciate it. Marshal Higurashi, do you mind escorting Mr. Takamada to a nearby waiting room so we may continue the rest of the meeting?"

"Of course." Kagome walked Sesshoumaru out of the room and to a small conference room next door. "Now stay here Sesshoumaru," Kagome said. "If you need anything, just holler. Someone will hear you and come running."

"Or I could just whistle," Sesshoumaru joked. Kagome rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her, returning to the meeting just as Marshal Toutousai began to speak.

"Now the CIA has sent someone to help us along with this case. Agent Hitorame-"

'Hitorame?' Kagome wondered to herself. 'It can't be who I think it is, can it?'

"She's been undercover for six months, working inside the WCT as an assistant for Mr. Kouga Tarintino-"

"No way," Kagome whispered to herself, ignoring Shippou's curious look as Marshal Toutousai opened a nearby door. "Marshal Higurashi, I believe you know her."

Sutaasafaia walked into the room moments later, shooting apologetic looks to Shippou and Kagome before taking her place at the head of the table. "Thank you all for taking the time to be here." She pulled a couple of packets out of her briefcase, passing them down the table as she opened a small folder. "As you all are aware, I've spent some time inside the WCT corporation, investigating rumors of a super weapon being produced by the company."

'A _what_?' Kagome's mind stammered as she accepted a stack of packets, took one and passed the extra around. 'What is she talking about?'

"This super weapon was thought to be biological, which would be logical for someone like Naraku Jinuse to want. On the contrary, it's nothing like what the rumors suggest. If you'll take out page one of your packet-" she stopped as the rustling of paper sounded throughout the room, Kagome and the others pulling out a picture of a satellite in orbit.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Tetsusaiga," Sutaasafaia explained. "On the outside, it's nothing more than a sophisticated weather satellite, with internet capabilities. To the military, who contracted WCT to assist in building this piece of technology, it's an infrared camera, used to locate terrorists hiding in desolate lands like Afghanistan and Sudan."

"The part that the CIA is concerned with is on the second page of your packet." She waited once again as everyone pulled out the correct page, each glancing at a picture of what looked like a cannon of sorts. "That is the Dark Star, a photon weapon launched by the military for the extraction of said terrorists. It can punch a hole 100 meters below the earth's surface, with both a basic and an intricate targeting system. In the wrong hands, this thing could become a virtual Doomsday Device.

"This morning, after the kidnapping of both Mr. Hitame and Miss Juku, the master Tenseiga was stolen from the WCT headquarters in Boston. Also, operation and launch codes for the Dark Star were stolen from the Pentagon. This leads us to believe that the kidnappings and the thefts are related."

'I know nothing of this,' Kagome realized as she flipped through the packet. Copies of signed checks, documents and ordered parts, all with Sesshoumaru's signature on them screamed that something wasn't right. 'Why didn't he tell me?'

"The military has attempted to keep this a secret from the public, keeping in mind that WCT is mostly into medical and educational facility. Somehow this information has been leaked into the black market, even before the CIA knew of the Dark Star's existence. We believe that Naraku is trying to assemble the parts for the Dark Star."

"I don't understand," Shippou commented. "I thought the Dark Star was only one piece."

"It is," Sutaasafaia answered. "The Dark Star itself is one piece, but the remote control is not. We're not entirely sure how many pieces there are, but we do know that they include the master Tenseiga and obviously the codes from Washington."

"And if Naraku gets all the parts?" Kaede asked. Sutaasafaia shook her head. "Then he pretty much owns the world."

"Thank you Agent Hitomra," Marshal Toutousai stated, standing up and opening the door. "This meeting is adjourned until further notice. Please be on alert. Mr. Takamada could receive a phone call at any time."

Everyone but Kagome and Sutaasafaia shuffled out, Kagome's confusion and anger radiating in waves as she glared at the inu youkai in front of her. "Well, I guess you forgot to tell me this too," Kagome replied. Sutaasafaia sighed and sat back down.

"Don't be mad at me," she asked quietly. "I was undercover. Even Kouga had no idea that I was CIA"

"I'm sure. Now explain in detail about this Dark Star."

Sutaasafaia shrugged. "I told you all we know. The only person that knows more is Takamada himself."

"Good point," Kagome said after a moment. "I think I'll go ask him."

"But Kagome-" Sutaasafaia sighed as Kagome disappeared, guessing it to be one of the many wondrous moves of the miko marshal.

"I just hope things don't get any worse," she groaned to herself, then began to gather her papers and return them to her briefcase.

Sesshoumaru hung up his cell phone, a slight frown gracing his normally passive face. 'The Tenseiga's missing as well,' he thought to himself. 'Thank the gods I still have the last piec-'

Kagome appeared beside him moments later, startling him into forgetting his train of thought. "Well," Sesshoumaru said after a moment. "Is the meeting over?"

"What's the Dark Star?"

Sesshoumaru blinked, unsure as to how to answer her question. "Why ask me?"

"You had it built. It says so in here." She tossed the packet into his lap, watching him as he picked it up and leafed through it.

"And?" Sesshoumaru said, his cool façade back in place.

"And? And what the hell is it?" Kagome asked again, this time holding a picture of the weapon in his face. "The reports say it's a weapon, one that would cause a lot of problems if Naraku got his hands on it. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"There was nothing to tell. Besides, I swore secrecy."

"This is the kind of stuff you don't keep from someone protecting you!" Kagome countered aggressively. "This is the kind of stuff that can get you killed! This is what Naraku's been after, isn't it?"

"Hai," Sesshoumaru answered. "It is."

"And when were you going to tell me?"

"Again, I was sworn to sec-"

"Yeah yeah," Kagome interrupted, turning her back to him as she read the report in her hands. "Naraku has the launch codes for this baby, and the master Tenseiga. What's he missing Sesshoumaru? Why does he have Rin and Inuyasha?"

Sessshoumaru sighed heavily, something he'd done at least twice this hour. "He's looking for the final piece."

"Of the remote?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Correct. The remote for the Dark Star consists of three parts; the launch codes, the master Tenseiga, and a key."

"A key?"

'This is going to be bad,' Sesshoumaru realized. 'But if I don't tell her, she'll only find out another way. I'd rather clean it up first.' "The master Tenseiga serves as the remote, with the codes controlling the targeting mechanism and the coordinates for the satellite itself."

"Then why does it have two targeting systems?"

"Two?" 'I told Kelson to take the second one off.' " I do not know, Kagome."

"Of course you don't," Kagome said, a little too quickly for his tastes. "I thought you would, since you did build it."

"Kagome-"

"Where's the key?"

Sesshoumaru stopped. 'The one question I hoped she wouldn't ask.' "It is safe."

"What is it then?"

"The key activates the remote itself, re-routing the power used to fuel the surgical lasers to control of the satellite itself."

"I meant, what does it look like?"

'This just keeps getting worse,' Sesshoumaru thought as he rubbed the side of his forehead. 'Oh well, may as well go ahead.' "It's a hologram of a sort, with a microscopic computer chip inside it."

"A hologram?" Kagome repeated, her mind whirling around the possibilities. Sesshoumaru nodded. "It's small, unnoticeable even to someone looking for it. I had it disguised when I met you, making it harder still to detect and steal."

"I don't understand," Kagome said, moving to stand at Sesshoumaru's side. "How are you hiding it?"

"By not hiding it."

'Huh?' Kagome sat down slowly, Sesshoumaru's riddle talking grating on her nerves. 'What is he talking about, he's not hiding it? Is he saying that he's….' "Do you have it?"

"I do not."

"Then who does?"

Sesshoumaru looked over her head toward the door, readying himself for the shouting match that would follow. "You do."

"_Huh_!" Kagome stammered. "What do you mean, I have it?!"

"You've always had it. As far as I know of, you've only taken it off once, and that was Christmas."

'What in the hell is he talking about?' Kagome wondered, her memories of Christmas quickly flashing behind her eyes. 'How can a key be a piece of clo-'

__

"Open it and see," he said mysteriously.

"Oh Sesshoumaru, I can't take this," Kagome gasped, staring at the small omega necklace inside. Sesshoumaru unclasped the pink crystal around her neck, placing it inside the box and lifting out the platinum chain.

"Dear God," Kagome gasped softly, lifting the innocent-looking necklace to her face. "This, this tiny thing is the key?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "It was meant to be a lapel pin, but it came back as a necklace. I knew you would protect it, even if you had no idea you were doing so. You've done well."

"I've done well!" Kagome stood up, glaring at the taiyoukai as he turned his back on her. "I've done _well_!! You mean to tell me that all this time, you never thought to tell me that I have the key to the end of the free world around my neck!"

"Now you're being overdramatic," Sesshoumaru said over his shoulder, returning his gaze to the window and the world outside.

"Don't you think I deserved to know?" Kagome shouted, uncaring of whether anyone outside could hear her or not. "Don't you think I might have cared that there was a possibility that someone would want to whack off my head to get this thing?"

"That's never happened."

"But it could have happened! I can't believe you Sesshoumaru!" Kagome huffed angrily, her temper rising the longer he kept his back to her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't your concern."

"So all this time, instead of chasing you because of the company, they've been chasing _me_?! And you didn't think it was my _concern_?!!! You arrogant, pig-headed jackass!"

"Now wait just one moment-"

"You know what Sesshoumaru; you'll never change! I can't believe this! I trusted you _again_ and _again_ you screw me over! What is it going to take for me to learn my lesson; you to drop me into a vat of crocodiles."

"You will control yourself, ningen," he growled, his eyes already shifting to their golden hue. "And you will refrain from the name-calling."

"Unbe-fucking-liveable," Kagome grumbled, wondering to herself if she should rip the necklace from around her neck and leave it with him. 'No, he is right about one thing. It has been safe with me. But…God! He didn't even care that I could have been killed behind this!' Her eyes widened as a sudden realization struck her. 'That's strike three…'

"You're right Mr. Takamada," she whispered softly, regaining his attention. "You're right. It is my duty to just do as you ask until the end of the mission. I apologize for my rudeness."

Sesshoumaru turned toward her, the calmness in her voice creating an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Kagome?"

"I'll leave you to yourself," she said as she stood up and walked toward the door. "And we'll alert you to any changes in our plans."

"Kagome wai-"

Ding-Ding-Dong

They stopped, each locked inside the others gaze as Sesshoumaru's cell phone began to ring. "You're phone Mr. Takamada," Kagome whispered, motioning to his side pocket. Sesshoumaru nodded, withdrawing the phone and picking it up. "Hello?"

"Hello old chap!" Naraku chirped from the other side. "And how are you?"

"I'd be better if you hadn't stolen my things from me," he replied, watching as Kagome opened the door and waved Sutaasafaia and Marshal Toutousai into the room. "But that is not important."

"You're right as always Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku said wistfully. "Come to Yankee Stadium."  
  
"In New York?"

"Of course! Where else would Yankee Stadium be? Be there in, um-" he paused, then "four hours. Can you do that?"

"I suppose I can," Sesshoumaru answered.

"With my money?"  
  
"With your money," Sesshoumaru said in disgust. Naraku sighed happily. "Good. Oh, and Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"  
  
"Bring that lovely assistant with you. You know, the fiery one that moonlights as a U. S. Marshal. Is she there?"

"Yes, she's here," Sesshoumaru answered warily, glancing at Kagome. He didn't particularly like the idea of Naraku knowing who she was, though now it was too late to correct it. "Why?"

"May I speak to her?"

"No, you may not."

Naraku chuckled darkly. "Fine then. Be selfish of her if you must. I thought for a moment that we could share."

"You wish," Sesshoumaru growled, forgetting the human in the room. "Now is there anything else?"  
  
"No, there's nothing. Just make sure she's with you. I'm sure she'll love seeing the look on you're face when you see me."

"I'm sure she will too." Sesshoumaru hung up, then handed the phone to Marshal Toutousai. "We are expected in Yankee Stadium."

"You can't be serious," Sutaasafaia objected as Kagome nodded and gathered her things. "When?"  
  
"In four hours."

"So we're to gather $9 million in four hours?" she questioned as she, Kagome, Sesshoumaru and Marshal Toutousai boarded the elevator. Sesshoumaru nodded, his thoughts not on the agent but the unusually quiet marshal beside him. 'I wonder what she's thinking,' he asked himself as he stared down at the top of Kagome's head. 'She's been so quiet. It's not like her.'

'I'm finished,' Kagome thought to herself as the lift took them to the lobby. 'He said that he wouldn't hurt me, yet he puts a virtual bulls eye around my neck and thinks it's fine. Once this mission is over, so are we. I'll forget all about Sesshoumaru Takamada, Great Taiyoukai of the West.'

/_1:30 PM/_

Inuyasha awoke to unfamiliar surroundings, spread eagle and chained to wall behind him. His ears itched something terrible, and he flicked one in a last attempt to alleviate the irritation. 'Wait a minute…' he flicked his ear again, realizing that they no longer resided at the sides of his head. "What the hell?"

"Are you wondering about your sealing spell, pup?"

Inuyasha glared ahead, focusing on the figure that leaned against the threshold of his prison. "Who are you? And what do you know of my sealing spell?"

"Oh, I know a lot," the figure said as he stepped closer. Inuyasha recognized his face, thought he was used to seeing it on a girl. "Katrina?"

"No," he said with a laugh, silver eyes sparkling in amusement. "I'm her big brother Shu. Surely she's told you about me." He sighed at Inuyasha's indifference. "I guess she hasn't. We don't get along as well as we used to. "

"Where is she?" Inuyasha demanded, his concern growing for her. "What have you done to her, you liar!"

"Liar?" Shu stood back a moment, then laughed again. "Oh, you mean about the whole brother/sister thing. I assure you, I'm her brother."

"But Katrina's human."

"You're mistaken hanyou. Katrina," he called toward the door. "Come here. There's someone who wants to see you."

Katrina stepped into the room, her head lowered at Inuyasha's shocked gasp. Her clasped fingers ended in claws, with her once shoulder-length hair cascading down her back to touch the back of her thighs. She looked up at him once, with his reflection shining off silvery gray eyes as Shu shoved her closer to him.

"Awww…is there trouble in Loveland?" Shu teased, ignoring Inuyasha's growl as he jerked Katrina's head back by her hair. "You don't have long Little Sister. Make it quick."

"Where are you going?" she asked softly, watching him go with a wary look. Shu grinned back, his fangs glinting in the sparse light.

"I'm going to visit the other person here. You're fiery niece. That is, if you don't mind Inuyasha." Inuyasha growled in response, the sound promising a painful and slow death should he ever get free. Shu merely laughed, reaching up to roughly squeeze a nearby ear before walking out the door. Inuyasha turned accusing eyes to Katrina as she stared at the door.

"I won't let him hurt-"

"And when were you going to tell me?"

Katrina hung her head again, this time placing her fingers behind her back. "I…don't know."

"You don't _know_?! WHAT KIND OF SHIT IS THAT?!!! You lied to me! You lied to Sango and Miroku! You've been in league with Naraku this entire time!!!!!"

"But I swear I wasn't trying to hurt you!" Katrina countered back. "I only did what I was told!"

"Which includes drugging me and bringing me here?! My niece is here too! What the fuck is _wrong_ with you?!" He frowned when she started to cry, her collapsing to her knees in front of him with her hands over her face. He always hated to see a woman cry. "Look," he said softly, though his anger still rang out in his voice. "Don't cry. I'm sure there's a nice warm spot in Hell just waiting on you-"

"I'm so sorry Inuyasha!" she cried, her face still covered as the scent of her tears tickled his nose. "I was just trying to help my father! I didn't know Naraku would do this until the last minute!"

"But you knew! You could have warned someone!"

"Naraku would have killed my father if I had!" She sniffed softly, then whispered "I'm a prisoner here too, just like you."

"But you're not the one in chains."

"They don't need chains for me," Katrina continued brokenly. Inuyasha sighed, remembering her saying something about her father. "What about you're dad?"

"He's here," she answered. "Naraku promised to free him if I lied to you."

"Help me out here Kats," Inuyasha asked. "I'm having some trouble understanding. What's your father doing here? Hell, what's your _brother_ doing here? What's going on?"

Katrina sighed heavily, then stood up and closed the door to their room. "About 600 years ago, we all lived in Egypt with my older sister Artemis. Shu and Artemis were twins, with me being the youngest. We all looked after each other, and Shu was the perfect older brother.

"How old are you Kats?"

Katrina blushed slightly, glancing away from him before looking at him again. "I'm 612."

"Cool."

"Cool?"

Inuyasha nodded. "You're older than me by one year. Go ahead though."

Katrina nodded, her eyes trained to the floor. "About 500 years ago, Shu began to change. It was like something possessing him, and we couldn't figure out what it was. He became quiet, distant, and violent. Days that were once spent protecting us from the local villagers were replaced with Father protecting us from Shu.

"Shu challenged Father one afternoon, and the resulting fight lasted for days. When it was over, Shu left, leaving Artemis and myself to heal Father's wounds. 100 years past, and he still wasn't fully recovered. That's when he disappeared."

"Where's your sister now?" Inuyasha asked, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the girl. After all, he wanted to know above all else what happened to his father, but Sesshoumaru never told him.

"She's dead. She was killed…protecting me from Shu." Inuyasha winced, watching as the tears began anew. "We tracked him to a church in France 200 years ago. He cornered us, he and Naraku's men, and trapped us in the church's congregation hall. Artemis hid me inside ventilation shaft, placing a sealing spell over it before Shu and the others came into the room.

"He killed her," she choked out, her tears falling faster with the confession. "He killed her and I watched. I couldn't do anything. He ripped her to shreds right in front of me." She touched her wrists, Inuyasha noticing for the first time the silver bracelets on each one. The one on her right held a red bloodstone, with the one on the left holding a white diamond. "This," Katrina whispered, her finger tracing the red stone lovingly "Is all I have of my sister."

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha whispered. "I...don't know what to say."

"There is nothing to say," Katrina stated, attempting to dry her face with her hands. "I finally tracked them, by myself, here."

"Where is here?"

"Naraku's stronghold. He keeps my father in a regeneration machine, where it sucks the youki from him. The machine transfers the stolen youki to Naraku, giving him what would seem like eternal life. Meanwhile, it siphons the life from my father. He's a weakened shell of himself. I'm sorry for deceiving you Inuyasha, but I had no choice. I can't leave my father like this." She threw her arms around his neck suddenly, holding him for all she was worth as she desperately cried. "I'm so sorry! I won't let them hurt you though! I promise!"

Inuyasha blinked for a moment, his mind slowly processing the information as he attempted to quiet her. "Shh…it's ok Katrina. I understand."

"You…{sniff} you do?"

Inuyasha nodded. "You're just trying to free your Pops. I understand that. But I do have a question?"

"Yes?"

"Is that why you ran from me when I showed you my youkai form? Because you didn't want to hurt me?"

Katrina nodded.

"And did you ever really love me?"

"Of course I did!" Katrina gasped quickly. "I still do!"

"Good. Then I think I can forgive you-"

"Thank you so much Inuyasha!" Katrina cried as she hugged him again. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't!"

"Am I interrupting something?" Shu asked from the doorway, stepping inside as Katrina quickly stepped between him and Inuyasha. "Rather protective of the pup, I see."

"Leave him alone Shu," Katrina growled. Shu merely shook his head in amusement. "Or you'll do what? Scratch me with you're claws." He fisted his hand in her hair and jerked her forward, snarling in her face as Inuyasha jerked against the chains. "I might enjoy that a little too much. Perhaps you should save that kind of foreplay for Naraku."

"What are you talking about?" Katrina gasped, wincing when Shu's hold on her hair tightened.

"Oh, you don't know? Well let me tell you then." He merrily slung her across the room, grinning when she collided with the cold concrete and slid to the floor below. "Naraku agreed that, in exchange for keeping the human woman as a pet, he gets to mate you."

"He _WHAT_?!" Inuyasha growled, his struggling increasing with each second. Shu nodded happily. "That's right. Katrina gets to mate Naraku. Aren't you happy sister dear?"

"I'll never allow it!" she spat vehemently. "Over my dead body!"

"That, dear sister, can be arranged." He jerked her up and forward by her arm, frowning at Inuyasha's protests and attempts to get free. "You best control you're pet, Katrina dear, or Naraku'll have him put to sleep." He shoved her out of the room, waving back to Inuyasha and missing Katrina slip a small piece of plastic behind her ear.

/2:59 PM, Yankee Stadium New York/

"There's nothing here but dust," Sutaasafaia complained as she kicked home plate. "No Naraku, no henchmen, hell, not even a fart to foul up the air."

Kagome quirked a brow, as did Sesshoumaru as Sutaasafaia shrugged. "I'm frustrated, ok?"

"That's understandable," Sesshoumaru commented offhandedly, his real focus still trained on Kagome. 'She hasn't said a word to me since we left Atlanta,' he commented to himself as she glanced around. "A penny for your thoughts," he whispered, watching as Sutaasafaia walked away from them to check the dugouts.

"I'm attempting to scan the area for anything unusual. I can't pick up anything."

"Because there is nothing there."

"Be that as it may, we must be sure of your safety Mr. Takamada."

"What's with the Mr. Takamada stuff lately?" he asked irritably. "Are you angry about the necklace?"

"Why should I be?" Kagome growled angrily. "After all, you basically told me that a threat to my life was none of my business."

"That's not how I meant it."

"But that's what you said. You should say what you mean next time."

Sesshoumaru sighed heavily, rubbing his fingertips against his temple as the scent of sulfur blindsided his nose. "He's here," he growled, his claws already extended and flexed around the handle of his briefcase. Kagome nodded, as did Sutaasafaia as she approached the mound.

Naraku appeared by first base minutes later, glaring at Sutaasafaia rudely. "Who is she?" he demanded, frowning when Sesshoumaru took his time answering.

"She is a friend of ours," he answered dryly. "So she is here."

"No matter," Naraku said with a shrug. A black SUV drove onto the field moments later, it parking behind Naraku as he gestured toward Sesshoumaru's suitcase. "Is that the money?"

"Is that Inuyasha and Rin?"  
  
"Perhaps," Naraku said. "Money first."

Sesshoumaru started to hand over the briefcase, then stopped at Kagome's gasp. "What is it?"

"They're not here."

Sesshoumaru turned golden eyes to Naraku, the whites swiftly becoming red as he glared at the hanyou. "Where are they? You promised they're return."

"Did I?" Naraku grinned evilly, the grin widening impossibly as the SUV doors opened and youkai streamed onto the field from all sides. "I lied. Kill them, but bring the taiyoukai unharmed."

Sutaasafaia and Kagome positioned Sesshoumaru between them, withdrew their weapons and began shooting. Youkai shuddered under the assault, but they still pressed on until Kagome called for an idea.

"Use you're power!" Sutaasafaia shouted, one bullet from her chamber flaming bright red as it careened toward the nearest youkai. "We've held back for too long! They're not even trying to hide they're youki!"

"You're right!" Kagome agreed over her shoulder. She shot one purified bullet after another, watching as the youkai around her either burst into flames or turned to ash around her. She smiled, watching as the youkai around the began to retreat when Sutaasafaia and Sesshoumaru dropped to their knees, their hands over their ears as they whimpered and growled in agony.

"Sutaasafaia! Sesshoumaru! What's happenin-" she fell to the ground heavily, wincing as the weight that knocked her down dug into her spine. The youkai around her grinned, as did Naraku from above her.

"We have got to stop meeting like this," he teased, grinding his heel into her back as the other youkai approached them, grabbing Sesshoumaru and carrying him to the SUV. He struggled momentarily, but stopped soon afterward, his hands once again covering his ears.

"What's wrong with them?" she demanded, watching as tears began to stream from Sutaasafaia's eyes. "What are you doing to them?!"

"Do you honestly think I came unprepared?" Naraku laughed, reaching down to jerk her head up. He stared deep into her eyes, watching as her whites blazed purple.

"Don't try it!" He smacked her, the side of her face reddening as Naraku brought her attention to him once again. "I'll kill everyone here miko, including you. To answer your question, the best way to fight inu youkai is to take away one of their senses. Surely you remember your training."

'Yeah, but what does that have to do with…' It hit her then, and she suddenly felt sorry for the two. "You're using sound waves, aren't you?"

"Bingo, my dear! You're quite clever." He grinned down at her lecherously. "But then again, that is one of the reasons Sesshoumaru keeps you around, isn't it?"

"Go straight to Hell Naraku."

Naraku chuckled, then shook his head. "You have a filthy mouth miko. Let me fix that for you." He shoved her face first into the grass, laughing when he jerked her back up. "You're lovely, even covered in dirt. Quite a hard feat, I assure you."

"Get off of me," she gasped, coughing on bits of grass that managed to get down her windpipe. "I can't breathe."

"Oh, I'm going to get off of you," Naraku assured her. "I just want you to see one last thing." He pointed forward, just as Sesshoumaru was being loaded into the back of the SUV. One of the youkai grabbed a spear from the back, stabbing it into Sesshoumaru's chest before helping the others throw him inside.

"He's dead Marshal, and you've failed to do your job."

"No…" Kagome whispered, already feeling the tears begin to well in her eyes. "No…he can't be."

"Oh, but he can." He struck her in the back of the head, smiling pleasantly as she passed out. "But I lied again. I need the taiyoukai alive for a while. But at least you won't try to find him. Goodbye pretty miko." He walked away from her and Sutaasafaia, climbed in the back of the SUV and waved to them as it sped off.

Sutaasafaia sat up groggily, holding the side of her head as a splitting headache pounded in her ears. "Oh man, who got the license plate of that truck?" she groaned miserably, then looked around. Other than Kagome, no one else was present on the field. She nudged Kagome gently, then a little harder when she didn't respond. "Kagome?" she called, nudging Kagome again. "Kagome? Wake up. It's me, Sutaasafaia. Are you ok?" She turned Kagome over, gasping at the blood that trickled from the back of her head and around her neck. "Holy shit!" She grabbed her radio, flipping the buttons quickly before contacting dispatch.

"Hello, 911? I need an ambulance dispatched to Yankee Stadium ASAP. We have an officer down!"


	30. An Ace Up Our Sleeves

.Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Thirty: An Ace Up Our Sleeve

/Wednesday 10:23 AM, Atlanta GA./

"Ow…" Kagome groaned painfully. She rubbed the back of her neck, her fingers grazing the bandage at the base of her skull.

"Hey Kagome-mama, are you ok?"

Kagome opened her eyes, blinking at the sudden bright light as she struggled to focus. "Shippou?"  
  
"Yeah, it's me." His blurry face appeared in front of her, with what she guessed was a smile. "How are ya?"

"I've been better." Kagome swung her legs off the hospital bed and sat up, once again touching the bandage as Sutaasafaia put her hand on her shoulder. Kagome looked up at her, the inu youkai's face finally sharpening as Kagome's healing ability kicked in. "How are you?"

"I'm alright. You gave us quite a scare," Sutaasafaia said as the room door opened. Each looked up as Agent Toutousai came into the room.

"I see you're doing well," he said as he nodded a greeting to Shippou. "Do you remember what happened?"

Kagome nodded bleakly. "Um, Naraku…" she stopped as tears welled in her eyes, the memory coming down on her full force. "Oh God…"

"Did you find the truck?" Sutaasafaia asked. Toutousai shook his head. "There's no trace of Naraku, Mr. Takamada or the SUV. They're gone."

Kagome covered her face with her hands, her grief drowning out the rest of Toutousai's report.

"By the order of the U.S. Marshal service and the CIA, you Sutaasafaia Hitorame and Kagome Higurashi are hereby suspended until further notice."

"What?" Sutaasafaia exclaimed as Kagome gasped. "What for?"

"You two are under investigation. It's the normal procedure for when a mission fails, and with the death of Mr. Takamada and the disappearance of Mr. Hitame, the government wants to make sure they can't be blamed for it."

"But it's not their fault that Naraku had four hundred guys waiting on them!" Shippou argued. Toutousai shrugged. "I know that, but there's nothing I can do. It's out of my hands." He attempted to say something else, but shook his head and left the room without another word. Shippou moved to walk after him, but stopped when Kagome sniffed.

"Don't worry Kagome," he said as he gave her a gentle hug. "We'll fight it."

"I don't want to fight it," she whispered. "I just want him back. I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru."

/Tuesday, 2:04 AM/

Kagome sat by Sango's bedside, her head in her crossed arms as she once again attempted to get some sleep. 'I just don't understand it,' she said to herself as she rubbed her weary eyes. 'It's been almost a week, and Sango still hasn't come out of it. I don't know what to do anymore.'

All week since her suspension, Kagome stayed by Sango's bedside. "We're all waiting on you.," Kagome whispered softly so to not disturb Miroku. He slept close by in the windowsill seat, curled in a semi-tight ball with a spare blanket wrapped around him. He stayed close by as well, either at Sango's side or in a nearby corner as the nurses came in to change her bandages.

It was the bandages that bothered Kagome the most; that constantly reminded Kagome of how much pain her friend was in. Her entire head was wrapped in gauze, with her right eye bandaged along with her ribs. Kagome winced in sympathy at Sango's labored breath. "We're each trying everything we can to help you."

Kagome and the doctors worked day and night, with Kagome attempting to heal Sango's many wounds when the doctors weren't looking. The four neuro-surgeons, three Sesshoumaru called from Japan, Germany and Brazil plus the one already stationed at the hospital, reasoned that since there was no actual brain damage that they could find, that there must be something else preventing Sango from waking.

Kagome searched for an outside source, anything that looked like a spell, curse or miasma but she too found nothing.

"You know what the funny thing is?" Kagome asked as she held Sango's hand. "The prick kept his promise too. Oh," Kagome gave a soft, bitter laugh. "I shouldn't speak ill of the dead." Guilt washed over her again as she recalled her last moments with Sesshoumaru. 'I shouldn't have treated him like that,' Kagome told herself as she returned her head to her arms. 'I should have listened. Yeah, he was an insensitive jerk, but he was right. If he was told not to tell anyone, I shouldn't have gotten mad. He can't-'

She shook her head jerkily, fighting back tears as she corrected herself. 'Couldn't tell me everything.' She sniffed, then whispered "I miss him so much…"

"Oh man Kagome, where'd you get that funky scarf?" someone asked as she felt a tug on her ponytail.

Kagome blinked, then gasped as she jerked her head up. Sango smiled down at her, her one uninjured eye sparkling brightly as she quirked a brow. "Well, are you going to answer me or not?"

Kagome laughed, a wide smile on her face as she hugged Sango's hand. "It's so good to see you Sango. We thought you were through."

"Nope," Sango groaned. "You can kick me, but I always come back for more."

"Here you go Kagome," Sutaasafaia said as she came into the room. "One coffee, black. Oh," she smiled at Sango, who gave her a weary smile back as Sutaasafaia handed Kagome her cup. "Good to see you finally. How are you feeling?"

"Perfectly fine," Sango quipped. "Next stupid question." Kagome shook her head as she and Sutaasafaia broke into laughter, it waking Miroku from his slumber. "Hey, what's so funny?" He sat up, his eyes instantly falling on Sango as she waved at him.

"Hi Roki-Roki," she whispered with a smile. Miroku stood up instantly, his hand reaching to grasp hers as he smiled back. "Hey Butterfly. Glad to see you with us."

"Glad to be back. So what happened?"

"What do you remember?" Sutaasafaia asked as Kagome turned away. Sango shrugged painfully. "I don't know really. I remember blacking out, then feeling warm. There was a woman's voice too."

"What'd she say?" Miroku asked. Sango thought a moment, then said "I'm sorry. Or that's what I think she said. I'm not too sure. What's happened?" she asked again, watching as Kagome's shoulders began to shake.

"You know Naraku took Inuyasha," Miroku told her as Shippou came into the room. "But he took his niece and killed Mr. Takamada."

"Oh Kagome," Sango touched Kagome's shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"About that," Shippou interrupted as he stepped forward. "I don't think Mr. Takamada's dead."

"What are you talking about?" Sutaasafaia said as Kagome jerked to attention. "Kagome said that she saw the spear go through him."

"Yeah, I know, but I did some research on that and I found out something interesting."

"You know that Kagome and I are suspended," Sutaasafaia replied. "So giving us information on the case could get you in trouble."

"I don't care," Shippou said. "I'd never keep anything from Kagome." He turned to Kagome, missing Sutaasafaia's smile as he gave her a red folder.

"What's this?" Kagome asked as she dried her face.

"That's from the stadium surveillance camera," Shippou explained. "Don't worry you two, I doctored the tape so that you're 'unique' way of dealing with people won't be discovered."

"Thanks Shippou," Sutaasafaia replied.

"No problem. As I was saying, this picture," he flipped through the folder, pulling up a picture of Sesshoumaru as one of Naraku's men raised the spear above his head. Shippou winced at Kagome's gasp, but continued. "Now, see that spear?"

"Yeah," Miroku said, leaning over the bed so he could get a better view. "What about it?"  
  
"Well, it's made odd, like it's a little to wide to be a spear. Anyway, I thought about it and this is what I came up with." He reached inside his back pocket and handed Sutaasafaia a National Geographic. "Flip to page 8."

"Alright…" Sutaasafaia flipped through the pages, then shrugged. "It's an article on elephant poaching. So what?"  
  
"So this article is about a new kind of spear poachers are using on African elephants. It's not meant to kill them, but deliver a tranquilizer that's inside the tip of the spear. The poachers stand either in the bushes beside the herd or above it and throw them at the nearest one."

"But doesn't the elephant run away?" Miroku asked as Sutaasafaia and Kagome struggled to figure out what Shippou seemed to be hinting at.

"Well yeah, but how far do you think an elephant hopped up on tranq is going to get?" Shippou said as he flipped the page. "They keep up with it as it runs off, wait until the tranquilizer takes effect, harvest the tusks and leave the elephant to die in the middle of the desert."

"But what does that have to do with Mr. Takamada?" Sango asked as Kagome and Sutaasafaia looked at each other.

"The spears are the same," Sutaasafaia realized, holding the picture of the spear Naraku's men used up to the article. "Don't you think so Kagome?"

"Yeah, or at least they look the same."

"You two think Mr. Takamada's still alive, don't you?" Miroku asked incredulously. Sutaasafaia and Kagome thought a moment, then

"Yup."

"But he can't be," Miroku argued. "Even if he did get stuck with one of those spears, do you really think he could survive a direct heart injection of elephant tranquilizer?"

"I'm almost sure of it," Kagome said with Sango's yawn in the background. "So if he's alive-"

"Then all we have to do is find him and set him free!" Sutaasafaia exclaimed happily. "And we'll get our jobs back! Perfect!"

"Um…" Miroku started. "That's great and all, and I'm sure you're theory is sound, but how are we supposed to find him?"

"Oh yeah," Kagome sighed dejectedly then sank back into her chair. Sango yawned once again, then pointed to her purse.

"Roki-Roki, give Kagome my purse would you please?"

"Sure." Miroku handed Kagome the purse, shrugging at Kagome's confusion. "I don't understand why though."

"My pager's in there. You guys will need it if you want to find the others." She closed her eyes a moment, then stared into Kagome's and smiled. "You go find him," she whispered as she started to fall asleep. "And when you get back, you're going to have to tell me where to find a scarf like yours."

"Sure Sango. You get some sleep." Kagome patted her hand, then shrugged the instant Sango fell asleep.

"Why did she give you her purse?" Sutaasafaia asked.

"I don't know, but she said that it would help find them. I don't see how though."

"I do!" Shippou exclaimed. He snatched the purse from Kagome's lap and began to dig inside it, lipsticks and other personal items flying from it as the others looked on.

"What are you _doing_?" Kagome yelled, attempting to grab the purse from him. Shippou ignored her, sighing in triumph as he jerked Sango's pager from inside it.

"This," he said, opening the back of the pager. "Is how we'll find him!"

"That's right," Miroku realized. "The tracking devices in the back of the pagers! I forgot about them!"

"I did too!" Kagome peered over Shippou's arm, trying to see over his arm as he began to type on the interface surface. "Have you got anything?"

"Yeah, I got something," he said. "The tracer is working but it's too far away to track."

"Crap." Miroku sat back on the windowsill, and Kagome sat beside him as Sutaasafaia started to think.

"Wait a minute…" she said after a while. "I think we can still use this…"

"How?" Kagome asked. "Shippou already said that it was too far to track."

"Maybe not." Sutaasafaia nodded, then stood up and grabbed her coat. "Do you still have control of Mr. Takamada's plane?"

"Um, I think so," Kagome said, she and Miroku following Sutaasafaia as she walked out the door. "But if not then I could always ask Ah and Un. Why?"  
  
"Because we need to get to Chicago. I have a friend that may be able to help us…"

/Wednesday, 8:20 AM/

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes slowly, registering the metal ceiling above him before looking around. It appeared to be some sort of lab, with a set of large green glass cylinder tubes on the wall nearest him. He was lying on a metal gurney, with metal cuffs around his wrists and ankles.

"Good morning Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku called cheerily as he stepped from the shadows around him. "You've been out for quite a while. I almost thought you wouldn't wake up."

"What am I doing here?" Sesshoumaru growled, his claws flexing as he attempted to get free. "What is this? And what happened to my sealing spell?"

"Sealing spells don't work here," Naraku explained. "As to what you're doing here, it's simple really. You're going to help me."

"And what makes you think I'll do that?" Sesshoumaru snarled, giving up on his struggles to get some questions answered. Naraku chuckled.

"Because you don't have a choice."

"You see Sesshoumaru," Naraku began as he stood by Sesshoumaru's side. "I'm going to show you something important. This," he patted a nearby control panel installed in the wall. "is my regeneration machine. It helps me to become stronger by giving me the youki of other youkai."  
  
"What does this have to do with me?"

"Patience, Sesshoumaru-sama. Patience." Naraku chuckled darkly, his brown eyes becoming crimson in a matter of moments. "I know you won't tell me where the last part of the Dark Star is, so I'm going to do something a bit detailed, but better. I'm going to load you into the regenerator and use your youki to get it."

"And how are you going to do that?" Sesshoumaru asked, eying the green cylinders warily. 'I…know of this, but from where?'

"That's the beauty of the plan," Naraku said, interrupting Sesshoumaru's train of thought. "You see, once I get your youki, I can become you. Sort of like this." Naraku removed the baboon mask, Sesshoumaru staring in concealed awe when his red-eyed face stared back at him. "Do you like?" Sesshoumaru's duplicate said in Naraku's voice. When Sesshoumaru said nothing, Naraku shrugged, returned to his previous self and continued.

"It's alright for little things," Naraku said irritably. "But it's not complete. Now a complete transformation looks a little like this."

Naraku shuddered as a dark cloud surrounded him, shielding him from view as miasma filtered throughout the room. Sesshoumaru covered his nose with his tail, his eyes trained on Naraku as a bright light flashed around the hanyou.

The cloud dispersed a few minutes later, it and the miasma disappearing as a figure came into view. He was dressed like Naraku, but the scent wasn't his. It was old, like papyrus, with hints of sand and river water. Naraku's face was different as well, leaner, with a deep tan and almond-shaped silver eyes. His head was shaved bald but for a black lock at the crown of his head that dragged the floor behind him. Black wings sprouted from his back, and the figure before him smiled.

"Now this," he said in a deep baritone voice. "Is what I'm talking about."

A startled gasp drew their attention, and both he and Sesshoumaru turned to the doorway, where Katrina stood. "Father?"

The figure smiled evilly, quickly becoming Naraku once again as Sesshoumaru and Katrina watched. "I'm sorry to disappoint you Katrina darling. You're father isn't here."

"Again hanyou," Sesshoumaru interrupted, sparing Katrina a parting glare before turning to Naraku. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Don't you get it?" Naraku said, then shook his head. "No one understands me. You see, I'm going to sap the youki from your body and put it into mine. Then I'm going to pose as you, run your company, and find the last part of the remote control myself. Oh, and you have our little Katrina to thank for this." A tentacle wrapped around Katrina's waist and pulled her forward, Naraku ignoring her struggles as he gripped her in a nearly crushing hug.

"She's the one who distracted your brother while we set this up." He glanced over Katrina's head at a wall clock, then quickly dropped her. "I must be going. I have other matters to attend to. Katrina here will see that you're well taken care of." Naraku patted the top of Katrina's head and walked away, waving to Sesshoumaru one last time before disappearing.

Katrina stood up, wiping her hands on the front of her jeans before looking at Sesshoumaru. "I bet you hate me right now, don't you?"  
  
"I don't have time to hate you, treacherous human."

"Yeah, that. I'm not human Sesshoumaru." Katrina ran a claw along Sesshoumaru's sleeves, systematically ripping the cloth from his shirt to his wrist and removing them.

"What of my brother?" Sesshoumaru asked. "And Rin? What has become of them?"  
  
"They're here," Katrina said. "and they're safe."  
  
"There's an oxymoron," Sesshoumaru grumbled as she ripped away the rest of his shirt. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm prepping you for the regenerator," she explained. "You must be nude for the doctors to inspect you."

"I'm going to kill you when I get out of here," Sesshoumaru told her calmly. "And I'm going to kill Naraku too."  
  
"I don't care what you do to him, or me," Katrina said. "But will you promise to get my father out of here?"  
  
"I will make no such promises to the likes of you."

Katrina nodded in understanding. "I understand that, but…he's not involved in this. He's a victim too."  
  
"This Sesshoumaru is no victim."

"I never said you were." Katrina sighed, then shook her head. "I won't let Naraku hurt you."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow, then turned away from her. "And I'm just supposed to trust you?"

"No, but Inuyasha does."  
  
"I don't harbor his affections for you."

"That is true, but there is also this." Katrina reached behind her ear and pulled out a small clear disk.

"What is that?" Sesshoumaru asked. "A torture device?"  
  
"No, it's a way for the others to find us." Katrina nodded happily at his curious glance. "That's right Sesshoumaru. This is a way for your miko to find us."

"And you think keeping that is going to protect you from me?" Sesshoumaru growled angrily. "If so, you are sadly mistaken."  
  
"I know you'll probably still be angry with me when this is over," Katrina said as she gathered the scraps of his clothes. "But I'm still going to do what I can for you. You may be a jerk, but you don't deserve what Naraku has planned for you." She brushed past him, and for a moment Sesshoumaru caught her true scent, one that reminded him of the youkai Naraku changed into.

'You would think she would be loyal to the halfbreed. So why would she bother to help me?' Sesshoumaru asked himself as Katrina threw the remains of his clothes into a nearby trash can. 'Perhaps it is part of Naraku's plan…but why go through so much trouble when he already has me? And why do she and the other youkai smell alike?'

"Katrina?"

She turned to him, then moved to his side. "Yes Sesshoumaru?"

"Who was the youkai Naraku changed into?"

She looked down sadly, a lone tear streaking down her cheek before returning his gaze. "That was what my father used to look like, before he was assimilated into the regenerator."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in shock, Katrina nodding in confirmation. "I hope your miko comes soon," she admitted as she walked toward the door. "Because I don't know how long I can keep you out of there.

/11:01 AM, Eastern Chicago/

"Bloody hell," Sutaasafaia grumbled as she pounded on the apartment door. Heavy metal music thumped from the other side, the rhythmic growls and pounds drowning out Sutaasafaia's attempts to knock.

"Maybe we should try again later," Miroku said as Sutaasafaia began kicking the door.

"No," she grunted softly. "She's here and I know she is so she'd better"

Kick!

"open"

Kick!

"the fucking"

Kick!

"_door!!!!_"

**KICK!!**

"Let me try," Kagome said as she stepped forward. "Before you break your foot off."

"Go right ahead," Sutaasafaia said as she stepped aside. "I'm sure you won't get any further than I have."

Kagome smiled and kneeled at the keyhole, tapping it thoughtfully before jerking Miroku's pantleg. "I need something-"

"I'm sure you'll have something, if you keep jerking like that." Miroku grinned back at her scowl, then laughed as she rolled her eyes and punched him in the thigh.

"Not that something, pervert. I need a file or something."

"Here," he said, pulling out a long piece of copper wire. "Will this do?"  
  
"Why do you have that?" Sutaasafaia asked as Kagome bent the end into a loop and jammed it into the keyhole. Miroku shrugged.

"You never know when you need a good piece of wire."

Kagome's hand flashed purple a moment, then returned to normal as she handed Miroku back the wire. "Thanks-OW!" he exclaimed, dropping the wire as he waved his burning hand frantically. "What'd you do to it?"  
  
"It'll be back to normal in a while," Kagome said. She stood up and turned the doorknob, smiling to the others when it opened without protest. "See," she said as Sutaasafaia led the way inside. "And you were kicking it."

"Shut up," Sutaasafaia growled lightly. "Not all of us are Super Girl."

"Hey, I've always wanted to kiss Super Girl," Miroku hollered as the music assaulted their ears. Kagome closed the door behind them, mentally seeking out whoever it was Sutaasafaia was looking for as she led them through the apartment to the living room.

The stereo system in the living room was where the noise was coming from, it full blast as it's owner lay stretched out in the middle of the floor. Her attentions were on a video game, her leaning from side to side with the turns she made onscreen.

"Damnit!" she hollered above the music, grumbling to herself as he car ran headfirst into a white van. "Cut me some slack, would ya!"

Sutaasafaia reached for the power button to the stereo, pushing it quickly as Kagome and Miroku sighed in relief.

"Hey!" the girl jumped up, her trench coat puffing up around her as she turned to glare at Sutaasafaia and the others from behind the bangs of her shattered, lime-green streaked bob. "Who do you think you-hey, is that 'Faia?"

"Yeah, it's me," Sutaasafaia said with a grin. The girl smiled back, turning around to turn the TV off before addressing the others.

"How are you guys?" she said with a happy smile. "Sorry about not hearing you. How'd you get in?"  
  
"She's a locksmith," Sutaasafaia said absently.

"Oh. OK then. I'm Sonia." She extended a hand to both Miroku and Kagome, then turned to Sutaasafaia once again. "Now what do you want?"

"To serve you a ticket for the noise pollution. What do you think I want?"

"Grouchy," Sonia grumbled, then ignored her for Kagome. "I suppose you'll tell me what's up Miss…"

"Oh, I'm Kagome. We need you to look at this." She handed Sonia Sango's pager. "It's a tracking device."

"That I can see, but why do you need me?"

"The person we're tracking is outside the locator's range," Shippou explained. "Sutaasafaia thinks there's something you can do about it."

"Sure. Follow me." Sonia walked toward the back of the apartment with Kagome, Shippou and the others following close behind.

"Welcome to my office," Sonia said as she threw a door open. Inside what should have been a bedroom was nothing but a desk on the farthest wall with six screens mounted on various parts of the wall. A small cot was nestled in a corner, with boxes of computer hardware scattered about the floor.

Sonia sat at the desk and hooked up the pager as the others gathered around her. She reached over to turn on the computer screen, the words 'Zero Cool' scrolling around the screen in flaming blood red letters.

"Still hacking I see," Sutaasafaia grumbled good naturedly. Sonia glared over her shoulder at her, then began typing. "Yeah and? What are you going to do, arrest me?"  
  
"Some day."  
  
"But not **_to_**day." She typed a little more, then glanced over her shoulder at the others. "What kind of tracking system is this?"

"It's an internet/satellite hook up," Shippou said. "with a 100 mile range."  
  
"Alright then," Sonia replied, typing furiously for a moment. The others watched as various things popped up on the screens, then stepped back when Sonia clapped her hands.

"OK, this is what you guys have," she began to explain. "If you had any other device, you guys would be screwed, but this baby is special. Whoever engineered this was a genius."

"Thanks," Shippou said, quirking a brow at her questioning stare. "It's about time someone appreciated me."  
  
"Anyway…" Kagome gestured for Sonia to keep going.

"Oh…yeah…anyway, it's not that complicated to upgrade. All you have to do is link the tracer to the adjoining satellite to strengthen the tracking signal. See," she pointed to the upper left-hand screen. "That screen is running a diagnostic on the tracer itself. This screen," she pointed to the one below it "is running a diagnostic on the bug. The next couple of screens are connected to the satellite and downloading the needed files to the tracer. This screen" she pointed to the one on her lower right-hand corner "Is the bug."

"That," Sutaasafaia said, bending over to get a closer look at the screen. She pointed to a small flashing light on the screen. "What's that?"

"Um." Sonia began typing once again. A world map appeared onscreen, with the light appearing on the southern part of the United States. "It looks like our little bug is trying to tell us something."

She continued to type, this time with the world map closing in on the bleep. It stopped on Texas, on what looked to be the Gulf of Mexico.

"Is that where the tracer is?" Kagome asked. Sonia nodded. "Now as to whoever you planted it on, I don't know, but that's where they were."

"So what do you guys think?" Miroku asked. "Should we go tell Marshal Toutousai?"  
  
"For what?" Sutaasafaia said. "They'll question our source. On top of that, they'll take Sonia to jail for tampering with government property."

"Sutaasafaia and I are still suspended, remember?" Kagome added. "So we wouldn't get to go. By the time they think to go, Naraku could be gone."

"So what do we do?" Shippou asked.

"That's easy," Kagome said after a moment. She reached for the pager, glancing to Sonia as she began to unhook it. "Is the new program downloaded?"

"Yup, sure is," she said with a nod. Kagome put it in her back pocket, then walked out of the bedroom toward the front door.

"Kagome!" The others ran behind her, stopping when she paused in the living room. "What's the plan?" Miroku asked. "Are we going?"

"Yup, we're going."  
  
"Yay!" Sonia exclaimed. "A rescue mission! I want to go!"  
  
"No-"  
  
"She could be useful," Shippou said in Sonia's defense. "So why not let her come?"  
  
Sutaasafaia, Kagome and Miroku glanced at one another for a second, then shrugged. "Fine with us," Sutaasafaia said. Sonia waited for everyone to file out of the apartment, then locked the door behind her, a backpack strapped on her back as she followed the others down the steps to the street below.

"So what now?" Shippou asked. "We're going to need transportation."

"No worries mate," Miroku said as everyone piled into the car. "I know someone who can help with that."

/12:43 PM/

"I know it's crap Inuyasha," Katrina cajoled softly, a spoonful of chili in her hand. "But it's all I could get for you that didn't look rancid."

"That looks worse," Inuyasha grumbled. "I don't want it."

"Please?"

Inuyasha turned his head, a little of the chili smudging on his cheek. "I don't want it."  
  
"Fine then," Katrina sighed. She put the spoon back inside the chili cup, then sat it on a nearby table. "Be a baby if you must."

"Hey!"

Katrina giggled quietly, reaching up to wipe off the smudge as Inuyasha scowled at her. "You're so easy to pick on."

"Yeah, whatever."

"**KATRINA!!!!!**"

Katrina and Inuyasha turned to the door as Shu burst inside, his silver eyes bleeding red as he glared at them. "You!" He grabbed Katrina's arm, jerking her to her feet as Inuyasha began to growl. "Shut up pup!" he snapped angrily. He dragged Katrina out of the room and down the outer corridor, never waiting for her to get her bearings as she struggled to get free.

"Shu!" Katrina jerked against his grip, ignoring the blood that began to trickle down her arm when his claws dug in deeper. "What's wrong with you?"

"You want to know what's wrong?" he snarled viciously. He opened a door at the end of the hallway and tossed Katrina inside.

"That's what's wrong!"

Katrina raised herself to her hands and knees and looked forward, fighting the smile that threatened to spread on her face. The youkai inside the room stood around a lightening shield, each looking around warily as Shu glared down at Katrina.

"Lower it!" Shu demanded, his foot connecting harshly with Katrina's side. "Now!"

Katrina winced, but looked ahead. Rin stared back at her as she cowered from inside the shield, her frightened eyes lightening on Katrina for a second before looking toward the other youkai in the room. A deep rip was on one side of her black mini dress, her pantyhose ripped as well with one of her shoes sitting beside her.

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" Shu snapped. "It is your shield, isn't it?"

"Yes, but-" she gasped as Shu fisted his hand in her hair, Katrina vowing to cut it when this was over as Shu glared down at her.

"Then why can't you lower it?"

Katrina took a calming breath, then explained as she glanced at the youkai around them. "I didn't raise the shield. She did."

"But you just said-"

"I cast a spell on her, yes, but I didn't raise the shield."

"Explain sister dear," Shu snarled once again. "I don't understand your trickery."

"The spell was to protect her if she felt threatened. Was it up when you visited her yesterday?"

"No."

Katrina exhaled in relief. "Then sometime between yesterday and today, something scared her. Did she have that rip in her dress yesterday?"

"No," Shu said suspiciously, casting his gaze to the others around them.

"The spell's purpose was to erect a shield when she thought she needed protecting. One of your guards must have scared her, or tried to do something to her. Otherwise, the spell wouldn't have activated."

"Very clever Katrina," Shu said in admiration. "Who would have thought you'd do something to help your brother? I appreciate it. Now," he glared at the others around them, watching as one by one they broke into a sweat. "Which one dared to touch her?"

"You know which one," Katrina said through gritted teeth. "Just look for the one with the electric charge."

Shu released his hold on her slowly, much to Katrina's relief, and walked toward the youkai. He passed each one, touching each in the center of their foreheads. He traveled down the row to the last youkai, a rabbit youkai who stood against the wall nearest to Rin.

"Are you the troublemaker?" Shu asked as he raised his finger, a cruel smile on his lips as his finger made contact. A blue charge jumped from the rabbit youkai to Shu moments later, Shu's smile widening as the rabbit paled.

"Did I not leave specific instructions?" Shu asked as he turned to look at the others. "Didn't I ask you all to leave the human alone?" He watched as the others nodded solemnly, then turned to the rabbit youkai. "So why did you disobey me?"  
  
"I'm sorry Shu," he stammered desperately. "I…I couldn't help myself. She's in heat an-"

"And you think that gives you free reign over _my_ human?" Shu growled angrily. The rabbit paled further, his ears drooping beside his head. "I-I'm sorry Shu. It won't happen again-"  
  
"You'd better believe it." Shu pressed his forefinger to the youkai's forehead, watching as the rabbit slowly began to freeze, the ice traveling down his neck to his extremities. Shu stepped away for a moment, surveying the damage before turning to the others.

"Learn his lesson well," he said dramatically, reaching for Katrina when she turned away. "Oh no little sister. You should see this too." He stared at the frozen youkai a moment, watching as it's eyes widened before smashing it head-first into the concrete wall behind it. It's head shattered into millions of minute pieces, leaving a headless frozen statue behind.

"Clean that up," Shu said casually. "Then return to your posts." He stood Katrina up, shaking her roughly before saying "Now drop the shield."  
  
"I can't!" Katrina yelled. "She's the only one who can!"

"How so?"  
  
"Once she doesn't feel threatened, the shield will fall on it's own."

"But we can't get food to her," Shu said in an attempt to see if Katrina was lying. "So you should drop the shield before she starves to death."

"Once again, I can't," Katrina huffed irritably. "So I don't know what we're going to do about feeding her."

Shu growled, shaking her again as another youkai stepped forward. "Shu?"  
  
"Yeah Maten?"

"I think I can lower it."

Shu stopped immediately, Katrina's head sharply snapping forward. "Well then, get to it!"

Maten nodded immediately, turning toward Rin and her shield. He stared at it for a moment, then attempted to touch it. The shield bowed back, then snapped forward like a rubber band, throwing the lightening youkai backward without a single flux in power.

"That's a nice shield," Shu commented as Katrina attempted to gather herself. "You've gotten stronger."

"Thank you."

"You say it won't lower until she says so, right?" Katrina nodded. Shu sighed, then shrugged. "Alright then. We'll just have to wait. Until then," he shoved Katrina forward, then waved his hand in dismissal. "You may spend time with your mutt. It will be the last time, after all."

"What makes you say that?" Katrina asked.

"Because Naraku plans to put him in the regenerator tomorrow."

/5:37 PM, The Gulf of Mexico/

Kagome looked out the side of the helicopter at the oil rig below, then at the pager before nodding to Shippou. "This is it," she hollered over the fan blades.

"Right." He leaned toward the pilot seat, tapping Miroku on the shoulder and yelling Kagome's confirmation. Miroku nodded, hollering something to Sonia before moving aside.

"Here you go Kit," Miroku said as Shippou climbed to the pilot's seat. "You're turn to fly."  
  
"How did you manage to talk that guy into this?" Sutaasafaia asked Miroku as he peered over the side of the helicopter.

Miroku turned around and gave her a sly grin. "The bloke owed me a favor," he hollered over the fan blades.

"What kind of favor?"

"$800 worth of favors. I just cashed it in for this."

"Very cool Miroku," Sutaasafaia said with a grin. Kagome watched all this, her hands casually sliding through her hair and down her ponytail the scarf wrapped at the base of it. She pulled the end of it to her face, her fingers tracing the blue and gold swirls in the cloth.

'You're alive,' she said to herself. 'I can feel it. I don't know how but I can. You may be a jerk Sesshoumaru, but I'm used to you now. I feel…different about you now. I love you, and if you can just be alive long enough for me to get to you, I promise to try to be more understanding of what you do.'

"So how are we getting down?" Miroku asked. Sutaasafaia tossed him a parachute, neither of them noticing Kagome standing near the edge of the helicopter.

'But…you've told so many lies,' Kagome reasoned, her hair and the scarf whipping in the swiftly moving wind. 'And I don't know if I can trust you…'

"What's the plan?" Miroku asked to Sutaasafaia. He glanced at her when he received no answer, finding her gaze to be on Kagome's back instead.

'But I don't want to loose you again. Now that I know you, I can't imagine not having you in my life.' Kagome closed her eyes and sighed, her head tilted back slightly.

"Kagome?" Sutaasafaia called, then said it again before Kagome glanced back at her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm…thinking."

"Of what?" Miroku asked, noting how close she was to the opening of the helicopter. Kagome looked away from him, studying the oil rig below her. Half of it was on solid ground, while the other hung precariously over the water's edge. She turned back to Miroku and smiled.

"Of what to do."

"Great," Sutaasafaia yelled. "You got a plan?"

Kagome nodded.

"Then what are you planning to do?"

Kagome cast one last glance at them, then turned toward the rig. "I'm going to get him back."

And with that, she jumped from the helicopter.


	31. To Get You Back Part I: Into The Belly o...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I just borrow Sesshou on the weekends.

To Bear Witness

Chapter Thirty-One: To Get You Back Part One: Into the Belly of the Beast

"Did she just _jump _from the fucking _plane_?!" Sonia hollered in disbelief. Sutaasafaia and Miroku watched as Kagome fell to Earth, Miroku slowly beginning to panic as Sutaasafaia glared at Sonia.

"I want your word," Sutaasafaia growled dangerously. "That nothing you see here will appear on the internet."

"What?"

"I mean it! You're word!"

"Fine," Sonia relented. "I won't, but who would want to see someone get flattened into goo?"

"Here," Shippou said quickly, tossing Sutaasafaia a set of walkie talkies. "Just strap them around your throat, like those guys did in 'Tears of the Sun'."

"Thanks Shippou. Land the bird when we leave." She grabbed Miroku, making sure his parachute was strapped on before jumping after Kagome. Sutaasafaia let go of Miroku soon afterward, the both of them watching Kagome as she began to glow a vivid pink.

"What's she doing?" Miroku asked. Sutaasafaia shrugged. "I don't know. Some miko thing."

Kagome drew a circle in the air and chanted a few words. The circle glowed and solidified, creating a makeshift surfing board.

"OK then," Miroku said after a moment. "That's new."

"You're telling me," Sutaasafaia replied as they opened their parachutes. They slowly descended to the dry plain below them, Sutaasafaia and Miroku shrugging off the extra weight as Kagome hovered to a stop.

"What's the big idea?" Miroku shouted in Kagome's ear as Shippou landed the helicopter a little away from them. "You could have been killed."

Kagome stared ahead of her, seemingly in her own world before walking toward the helicopter. "Kagome," Sutaasafaia called as she and Miroku ran to catch up. "Kagome wait."

Kagome stopped, looked at the others and sighed. "I know what I did was stupid," she began uneasily. "But I feel like the more time we waste, the less time we have to save them."

"I know, but we're here too. We want to help," Miroku reminded her. "So you have to let us help you. Here," he passed her one of the walkie talkies. "Put this on, and we'll go in behind you."

"Let's do a weapons check first," Sutaasafaia suggested, Miroku and Kagome nodding in agreement. Miroku reached inside the helicopter, pulling out three bullet-proof vests as Sutaasafaia grabbed their weapons.

"Here's Kagome's shotgun," she said, passing the gun to Kagome along with a box of bullets and a bullet holder. "Miroku's rifle, and my .38. Everybody ready?"

Kagome strapped her vest on, then nodded.

"Alright then. Shippou," Sutaasafaia called into the helicopter. "You and Sonia stay here. Be ready to go at a moment's notice."

"You guys stay in touch," Sonia said. "And good luck."

Sutaasafaia led the way to the oil rig, with Kagome and Miroku right behind her as they came to a stop at a pair of steel doors. "Alright then," Kagome said as she loaded her shotgun. "All pleasantries are over and done with. Are we ready to rock and roll?"

"Ready," Sutaasafaia replied softly, her eyes glowing as they paled to a crystal blue.

"Check," Miroku responded, rifle in hand as Kagome nodded back. The three readied themselves, then counted to three before kicking the door in.

Katrina sat straight up, Inuyasha's soup splashing on his face as her ears twitched eagerly.

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked, watching as her eyes seemed to glance at everything and nothing at once.

"Shhhh…." Katrina stuck her head out the door, then she disappeared down the hallway. She came back a few seconds later with a ring of keys in her hand.

"What's up?" Inuyasha asked as she unlocked the first cuff. "What's going on?"  
  
"I don't know," Katrina admitted. "But I want you ready to go. Rin is down the hallway." She helped Inuyasha stand on his feet, waiting for him to steady himself before backing away from him and walking to the door.

"Wait a minute!" Inuyasha called. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine," Katrina said with a smile. "You just go get your niece and get ready."

"What was that?" Shu wondered out loud, his attention moving from the remote control assembly to Naraku.

"What was what?" Naraku asked, straining to hear something. Shu sighed in long suffering, then shrugged. "It sounds like something interesting."

Naraku paused a moment, then grinned. "I know what that is," he walked past Shu to the remote control, shoving the youkai working on it aside. "We have guests."

"Don't you think that was kinda loud you two?" Miroku asked as he and the others entered the oil rig. Sutaasafaia shook her head absently. "Nope. If they heard it, they'd be here by now."

Kagome nodded in agreement, her eyes fixed on the pager's tracking screen. "OK you two, turn to the right," she instructed, gesturing to a nearby hallway. Sutaasafaia went in first, followed by Miroku with Kagome bringing up the rear. Sutaasafaia peered around the corner and, finding no on stationed at the lookout, proceeded to the left at Kagome's instruction.

"How big do you think this place is?" Miroku asked after a few minutes of twists and turns. "It feels like I've seen all this before."

"Are you sure you're reading that thing right Kagome?" Sutaasafaia joked. "Because I agree with Miroku."

"I'm reading it correctly," Kagome countered seriously. "But the signal keeps waving, like the tracer is moving or someth-"

"Stop right there!"

They froze immediately, each looking like deer caught in headlights as they heard the sound of safetys clicking off from behind them.

"Oh crap…" Miroku groaned. "I told you guys that we were too loud."

"Turn around and drop you're weapons."

They did so slowly, turning around first before lowering their weapons to the floor in front of them. The two human guards kept their guns raised and pointed at them, each nodding in approval before barking the next order.

"Now, put your hands where I can see them!"

Kagome raised her hands first, her eyes fixed on the tracing screen as Sutaasafaia and Miroku did the same. One guard grinned eagerly at them, triumph shining in his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Girl scouts," Miroku replied. "Want to buy some shortbread cookies?"

"Um," Kagome whispered to Sutaasafaia. "Look at the tracer. It looks like something's coming this way."

The guard scowled and shot the floor in front of Miroku's feet, frowning when he didn't flinch. "So, you're a tough guy huh?" he said. "That won't help your female comrades here." He turned to Sutaasafaia, gun pointed to her feet as he repeated his question.

"Tell me who you are-" he gasped as clawed hands suddenly wrapped around the side of his head. Katrina appeared above their heads moments later, taking a moment to smash their heads together before releasing them. The guards fell heavily to the floor, unconscious.

"Sorry about being so late," she said as she dusted her hands off, her wings twitching behind her. Miroku stared open-mouthed as she landed in front of them, her wings disappearing as she handed them their weapons. "Hi Miroku," she said with a smile. "Don't look so shocked. Most sealing spells don't work here."  
  
"That explains why mine is still in effect," Sutaasafaia muttered to herself as she rechecked her gun. "What say you Bird Brain?"

"Sutaasafaia!" Katrina exclaimed happily, taking a moment to give the inu youkai a brief hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Looks like getting you out of trouble again," she replied. "You know Kagome and Miroku, and you know why we're here, right?"  
  
Katrina nodded. "Inuyasha's already free and he's going to get Rin. Kagome, Sesshoumaru's down that way," she pointed to the other end of the hallway. "Don't worry. The guards are…'preoccupied' for the moment."

"Thanks," Kagome said, then ran down the hallway. Miroku and Sutaasafaia moved to follow her, but Katrina stopped them.

"Before you guys turn this place into Hell, can you get my father out of here?"

Sutaasafaia nodded. "Yeah, just lead the way."

Inuyasha opened the door at the end of the hallway and entered the room, surprised to find the room completely empty. 'No,' he said to himself as he looked around. 'There's someone here after all.' He glanced at the back of the room and the lightening shield.

Rin lay sleeping inside, curled into a tight ball as she muttered something incoherent. Inuyasha approached the shield, his instincts telling him not to touch it as he called to his niece.

"Rin! Wake up!"

Rin rolled over, but kept sleeping, mumbling something along the lines of "But Ah, today's Saturday. Rin doesn't want to go to school."

"For the love of God," Inuyasha growled in annoyance. "Rin! Wake up or I'm taking your car!"

"I'm up!" Rin jerked to a sitting position, glancing around her quickly as she stood up. "Just give me a moment to get rea…d..y…not funny Uncle Yasha." Her eyes widened as she turned to him, tears of joy streaming down her face. "Uncle Yasha?"

"Yeah well, it ain't the Boogey Man," Inuyasha grumbled, then smiled back. "Ready to go?"

"Yes!" The shield crashed around her, turning into dust at their feet as Rin threw her arms around Inuyasha's neck. "I was so scared!"

"I know Rin. I was worried about you," Inuyasha told her as they headed for the door.

"No, you don't understand," Rin complained. "I was _scared_! There was this one youkai that wanted to hook up with me, then another youkai that tried to rape me."

"What happened to that youkai?" Inuyasha snarled, his eyes slightly becoming red.

"I killed him."

Inuyasha turned toward the center of the room, shoving Rin behind him as Shu descended from the rafters above. He shook his head disapprovingly at Inuyasha. "Tisk tisk. I thought you had better manners than that."

"You stay away from her," Inuyasha growled, his claws extended as he wrapped one arm around Rin's waist. "I won't let you hurt her again."

"Again?" Shu looked confused for a second, them burst into merry laughter. "I didn't do a thing to her. Katrina saw to that, her and that damned shield. But now that it's gone, I'll be more than happy to take her off your hands."

"No."

Shu sighed, then shrugged. "Fine. Then she dies here with you. Maten," Inuyasha growled as the youkai stepped into view, cracking his knuckles dramatically as Shu walked past Inuyasha to the door.

"Finish them will you?"

"With pleasure…" Maten replied, a murderous smile spreading across his face. Shu left the room, leaving Inuyasha and Rin with the lightening youkai.

"Well," Maten said, breaking the silence as he began to circle Inuyasha and Rin. "Who shall die first?"

Katrina stopped mid step, her ears twitching once again as Miroku and Sutaasafaia pressed ahead.

"Wait a minute," Miroku said when he noticed Katrina's absence. "Katrina's not here."

"She's not?" Sutaasafaia stopped beside him, then turned as Katrina opened a door to the roof. "Where are you going?"

"Keep going that way," Katrina instructed. "He's in the last storeroom. Look for one with green tubes."

"Where are you going?" Sutaasafaia asked again, this time to empty air as Katrina disappeared. "Oh well," she said as she and Miroku continued on. "I guess we'll catch up to her later."

Miroku and Sutaasafaia searched the storerooms one by one, until they came to the last one at the end of the hallway.

"Ok Miroku, this is it." Sutaasafaia whispered as she pushed the door open. It creaked, but otherwise didn't make a sound as Sutaasafaia and Miroku entered the room.

There in the back of the room, just as Katrina told them, were a set of green cylinder tubes. An ancient falcon youkai in his humanoid form hung suspended inside the working one, tubes and wires of all kind snaking from his decrepit form to the top of the cylinder lid. The green liquid surrounding him flowed steadily around him as he struggled to breathe. The oxygen mask on his face wasn't helping matters either.

"What do we do now?" Miroku asked as Sutaasafaia turned to the interface of one of the nearby computer consoles. She typed steadily, her face set and determined as she scanned the monitor screen. Sutaasafaia raised her head suddenly, still clicking away as she shoved a few strands of hair back in frustration.

The lid of the cylinder abruptly slid away, merging with the wall behind it as the liquid inside drained away through a hole in the bottom of the tube.

"You just seem to have everything under control, don't you?" Miroku teased as Sutaasafaia clicked a few more keys before abandoning the keyboard entirely. She gave Miroku a parting glance as the cylinder raised into the ceiling, the wires and tubes inserted into the youkai coming away.

The youkai slumped over as Sutaasafaia and Miroku held him, trying to help him stand as Sutaasafaia scanned the room for something to wrap him in. Together they sat the youkai on a nearby table, Miroku draping on of the white sheets around his emaciated frame.

"Are you alright?" Sutaasafaia asked as Miroku checked the youkai for injury. The youkai nodded, shivering slightly as he stared into Miroku's eyes.

"Do you know my daughter?" he whispered, his voice scratchy and hoarse. Miroku nodded. "Katrina, right?"

The youkai nodded. "Is she safe?"

"She went to fight her brother," Sutaasafaia told him, guilt panging through her at the panicked look in the elderly youkai's eyes. "She said to save you."

"You must save her!" he told them. "Shu will kill her! She's not strong enough!"  
  
"It has been a while since you last saw Athena fight." Sutaasafaia patted his spotted hand gently. "Don't worry Ra, she'll be fine."

"Why did you call Katrina Athena?" Miroku asked. Sutaasafaia smiled. "That's a story for another time. For right now, lets get him out of here."  
  
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," called a voice from the door. Sutaasafaia and Miroku paused as a young woman entered the room. Her hair hung about her shoulders in a stark white cape, her blank eyes staring at them as she pulled a machete out of its sheath on her side.

"Naraku-sama demands that he stay here."

"And we don't give a damn," Sutaasafaia growled. "Just who are you anyway?"

"I'm Kanna, and if you leave him now I'll make your deaths as painless as possible." She smiled, a hollow ghostly thing as she glanced at them from behind her blade. "I promise."

"Miroku, get him out of here," Sutaasafaia whispered as she passed Ra to him. Miroku shook his head, but walked when Sutaasafaia shoved him toward the door. "Now! Don't worry about me! I'll be fine!"

Miroku glanced at her one last time before doing as she bid, closing the door behind him. Kanna glanced at the door, then at the CIA agent before it.

"You will regret that decision human."

Sutaasafaia sneered, her fangs glinting in the lacking overhead lights. "Who said I was human?"

Shu ran across the rooftop toward the plane, his nose twitching in anticipation. He knew he would be interrupted, and couldn't wait for her to show-

"Shu!"

He smiled as he turned around, watching as the door to the rooftop exploded from its hinges in a burst of wind. He stepped away from the helicopter as Katrina stepped onto the roof.

"Ah, there you are little sister. What took you so long?" Shu glared at her aura in slight surprise. "So you choose to fight me, do you?" he demanded.

Katrina said nothing but stood motionless, the wind rustling around her. Shu laughed, a dark glee that made Katrina's hair stand on end.

"Why are you so silent Anut? Are you afraid? Our dear sister Artemis wasn't as silent as you."

Lightening flashed across the sky as Katrina's eyes narrowed, but she refused to be baited.

"She screamed a good deal when she died," Shu continued, enjoying the darkening of Katrina's aura. "I made sure to make her suffering pleasurable. And here blood," he grinned, his claws flexing around the sheath of his sword. "Was especially sweet."

Katrina growled, the gray of her eyes instantly turning an electric-charged silver. She reached to her sides, pushing the ruby buttons on the sticks. Lightening leaked from her eyes as the whips propelled from their confinements. She snapped them once, barely aware of the currents of electricity that circulated around them as she focused on him again.

"Did you enjoy your little speech Shu?" she snarled, snapping the whips once again. "I hope so, because that's the last one you'll ever have."

Kagome ran for what seemed like forever, stopping at each door before coming to one on her near right. A light shone from inside the room, and there were voices coming from that side as well. Kagome peered inside, standing on her toes as she watched two neko youkai in lab coats operate a machine.

"Naraku said he wanted this done today," one said as the other nodded in understanding. "He said that there was a chance that there could be trouble."

"What trouble?" the other replied as he began to push a few buttons in front of him. "No one would dare attack this place. They don't know where we are."

"All the same, it would be best if we got this over with."

Another machine whirled in front of them, it raising a gurney to Kagome's line of sight. Sesshoumaru was strapped to it, an gas mask to his face as he slept unaware. The neko youkai continued to operate the machine, them watching with Kagome as a green glass tube slowly came down from the ceiling.

'They're going to put him in that!' Kagome realized as the neko continued to work. 'I've got to stop them!' She crept inside quietly, raising an invisibility spell around her as she crept behind the neko youkai. She reappeared when she stood behind them, watching the neko as Sesshoumaru opened his eyes.

'My eyes are mistaken,' Sesshoumaru told himself as Kagome sank purified daggers into the backs of the youkai. 'No, they must not be. No other human has so much power.' He watched as she mulled over the machine, biting her lip thoughtfully before she lightly smacked her forehead.

"Duh Kagome!" she muttered. "Could it be the one that says 'Down'?" Sesshoumaru felt himself being lowered to a vertical position moments later, him turning to look at her as she approached him.

"How are you?" she whispered softly, gently removing the mask so Sesshoumaru could breathe.

"Better, now that you're here."

Kagome smiled back, then shook her head. "You know, I think you have trouble stamped to your forehead."  
  
Sesshoumaru looked on as Kagome unlocked the clamps around his wrists and ankles, swiftly moving to a sitting position as he quirked a brow. "One could say the same for you, miko."

"Yeah yeah." Kagome glanced around the room, finding what looked like a locker on the other side. "Wait here." She walked over to it, studying it before shrugging and blowing the door from its hinges. "There," she said as she rummaged inside. She came out with a white lab coat and pants, tossing them to Sesshoumaru before digging further inside the locker.

"There's no shoes," she said with a sigh minutes later. "So you might be stuck."

"Look in the trash can," Sesshoumaru said as he pulled up his pants. "That's where Katrina put them."  
  
"Katrina?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head, pulling the lab coat over his shoulders as Kagome brought him the shoes. "That's something you'll have to ask her." He stopped, brushing a stray lock away from Kagome's face as he smiled down at her. "I thought you were angry with me."

"I was."

"And I thought I would never see you again."

Kagome smiled back, wrapping her arms around his ribs in a gentle hug. "Same here."  
  
Sesshoumaru hugged her back, kissing the top of her head as something caught his eye. "And what's this?" He pulled on the scarf, watching the bow come undone as Kagome blushed and pulled away from him.

"Um…"  
  
"May I use it?"

Kagome nodded. "Sure. It's yours anyway."

"Thank you." Sesshoumaru wrapped it around his waist, then turned to look at Kagome. "How do I look?"  
  
"You know, if you had a few sakura blossoms on your shoulder," Kagome started with a grin. "You'd look like your old self."

"Thank you, I think." He and Kagome walked toward the door, Kagome turning one last time as Sesshoumaru stepped through the threshold. "What is it?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"I just get this sense of déjà vu," Kagome admitted. "Don't you?"

"Now that I think about-" The door slammed shut between them, leaving Sesshoumaru standing in the hallway alone. "Kagome?" He grabbed the doorknob, jerking back as Kagome pounded on the other side. She looked back and gasped, Sesshoumaru watching as papers began to swirl around the room.

"Sesshoumaru, run!" she yelled through the glass window. "I've got this! You get out of here!"

"Yes," Naraku's voice called over the P. A. system. "Leave the miko behind. I have provided entertainment for her."

"Naraku," Sesshoumaru growled dangerously. "Let her out of there."

"Only if you come to me," Naraku bargained. The door across the hall swung open, a light shining from inside as Naraku's voice filtered through the hallway. "I suggest you hurry. Kagura isn't known for her patience."

Sesshoumaru glanced back into the lab, unable to see for what seemed like a dust storm inside the room.

"Fine," Sesshoumaru said as he stepped toward the door. "Since you wish for death, I will personally bring it to you."

Kagome stepped further into the room, her arms shielded over her face as dust and papers assaulted her mercilessly. She traveled farther into the room, tripping over a stray cord before coming to the 'eye of the storm'. In the middle stood a dark haired woman with a fan, her narrowed eyes a bloody red

'It's the woman from the party,' Kagome realized as she stepped forward. "What's going on? Who are you?" she demanded. The woman merely opened her fan, laughing as another gust of wind blew past Kagome.

"I'm Kagura, the Wind Witch," she announced grandly. She raised the fan to her face, peering at Kagome from behind the expensive Japanese silk.

"And what do you want from me?"

"Why, that's simple." Kagura waved the fan forward, watching as ki blades slashed through the wind tunnel toward Kagome.

"I want you to die."


	32. To Get You Back Part II: Shu's Downfall

Chapter Thirty-Two: To Get You Back Part Two: Shu's Downfall

Kanna stepped back, watching as Sutaasafaia's youki swirled around her. Her sealing spell dropped instantly, her blonde tail wrapping around her waist as powder blue streaks appeared in her hair.

"So you are youkai," Kanna hissed, setting her mirror aside and withdrawing a sword from her waist. "No matter. It will just make killing you more fun."

"Then I'm so sorry to spoil things for you," Sutaasafaia smirked. "See, I'm a real bitch to kill. You won't be the first to try."

"But I will be the last!" Kanna struck first, raising her sword and sweeping it toward the inu youkai. Sutaasafaia jumped back, pulled her revolver from its place on her shoulder, and fired. The bullet struck Kanna in the shoulder.

Kanna fell to one knee, using her claws to dig for the bullet. She pulled it out, flicking it across the room and smiling at Sutaasafaia. "Only a coward would use a gun in a sword fight."

Sutaasafaia growled, plunking the revolver back into it's holster. "And only a coward would fight an unarmed person."

"Then call me a coward!" Kanna thrust forward, only to be blocked by a flaming sword. She blinked, then flew backward at Sutaasafaia's uppercut to her jaw.

"Did I say I wasn't armed?" Sutaasafaia cooed innocently. "Damn. I'm so sorry about that."

)-(

Kagome's eyes widened, jumping aside at the last possible second. The ki blades whizzed past her head in a blinding flash. She rolled to the other side of the room, cursing the swirling winds around her as she searched for Kagura's ki with her own.

'She's powerful, and I bet her attack would have done more than left a bruise. She means business. How do I stop-' She quickly threw up a shield, Kagura appearing on the other side of it moments later. She smiled wickedly and charged the barrier, shock replacing her triumph when the shield repelled her to the other side of the room.

"You're strong miko," she whispered softly, the winds once again hiding her as Kagome stood up and pulled out her gun. "But you're not strong enough. You will die today."

Another set of wind blades slashed through the air, ripping their way through the room toward Kagome.

"Oh, no. Not this again." Kagome raised her hand, and instead of dodging the attack she returned it to Kagura with a vengeance.

Kagura gave a startled gasp as her own attack knocked her feet from underneath her. She stood up slowly, her crimson eyes glowing an unholy light as she glared at Kagome. "How?"

"I'm a miko, remember?" Kagome told her as she aimed toward Kagura's ki. "And I believe you're time is up."

"I don't think so!"

Kagome blinked, watching in awe as her gun suddenly fell apart and fell to the floor with a loud clang. "Woah…" she muttered under her breath. Kagura cackled loudly, her fan closing a moment before opening again.

"Do you think you're the first miko I've dealt with? I'm glad you're impressed, but that little show is the least of you're worries."

)-(

Shu attacked first, unsheathing his sword and slicing through the air toward her. Katrina dodged, her whip wrapping around his wrist. She jerked him backward and dragged him half way across the rooftop.

Shu jerked back, removing the whip from her hands. He tossed it over the edge, watching it fall for a moment before grinning.

"And now we are equally matched."

Katrina frowned, but said nothing as Shu charged toward her once again. Katrina sidestepped him, ramming her elbow in his spine and drop-kicking him in the back of the head. She shuffled back when he slammed into the ground, dirt and dust flying up around him.

"You've gotten better little sister," Shu groaned. He slowly rose to his feet, wiping blood away from his split lip and flicking it at her. "But you should know better than that. Looks like you need a reminder."

Katrina stood still as he rushed her, her arms crossed in front of her. Shu crashed into a lightening barrier, cursing as he flew backward. Katrina punched the rooftop, lightening shooting from the cracks created toward him. Shu grinned, throwing up an ice shield of his own.

"You're pitiful attacks won't stop me," he grinned, throwing a volley of icicles across the rooftop toward her. Katrina blinked, the lightening suddenly combining with a bright orange flame. She raised her hands, and a bright fireball shot toward him, melting the icicles and ramming into Shu's body with a vengeance.

"Damn it bitch!" he hissed, stumbling and holding his chest. "How did you-"

"Artemis."

"Ah…" Shu smiled evilly. "Even in death that bitch haunts me."

"Don't you _ever_ speak of her that way!" Katrina snarled, her eyes blazing as she ran toward him.

)-(

"Stay behind me Rin," Inuyasha warned softly as Maten approached them. "And run if you get a chance."

"But what about you?" Rin asked, peering over his shoulder as Maten cracked his knuckles. Inuyasha grinned, his fangs lengthening as he flexed his claws.

"I've handled worse than him."

A flash of lightening touched down directly in front of them, startling Inuyasha into grabbing Rin and vaulting them into the air. Maten looked up at them, shaking his head and giving a bored sigh.

"You won't leave here. You may as well come down."

Inuyasha ignored him, choosing instead to sit Rin on top of a faraway shelf. "Stay. Here."

"What do you think I think this is, a cartoon or something?" Rin hollered as Inuyasha landed behind Maten. Maten turned expectantly, grinning in amusement as Inuyasha charged him. He stepped underneath the first blow, dodged the first, then executed a swift uppercut to Inuyasha's chin. He smirked as Inuyasha slid back and away, colliding into a pile of boxes on the other end of the room.

"Again," Maten said calmly as Inuyasha stood up. "You won't leave here."

"We'll see about that! IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!!"

Maten quickly leaped above the blades, only to have Inuyasha slam his fists into the base of his spine. He fell back to the floor, groaning as Inuyasha landed on top of him. Inuyasha jumped up and landed on Maten's back again before stepping off with a heavy spring.

"There, now beat that." He kicked the youkai in the side until he was satisfied, then turned and walked away.

"Yay Uncle Yasha! You got that jerk good!" Rin cheered happily. "You're the ma…n…um, Uncle Yasha?"

"Yeah Rin?" he reached up for her, scowling when she ignored him to point behind him. "Are you coming or what?"

"You should turn around," she said, insistently pointing behind him. Inuyasha shook his head and reached for her once again. "For what?"

"Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha froze, then turned as Rin hm-ed in annoyance. "I told you to turn around but no…"

"Where have I heard that name before…" Maten thought a moment, then suddenly snapped his fingers. "Inuyasha Hitame, right?"

"Yeah, what's it to ya?"

"You had a wife named Kikyou, right?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed into golden slits, anger radiating off of him in waves as he stepped closer

to the lightening youkai. "Yeah, what about her?"

"Real pretty thing. Drove a '98 Mustang, with a funny purple paintjob that shimmered different colors in the sun?"

"How do you know that?" Inuyasha asked, he and Rin simply dumbfounded. "How do you know so much about her?"

"Simple," Maten shrugged.

"I'm the one that cut her brakes."

)-(

Sesshoumaru entered the room, not entirely surprised when the door slammed shut behind him. "Show yourself Naraku," he commanded, his voice thundering throughout the dark room.

"How rude of you Sesshoumaru-sama," said the darkness around him. "Telling a man what to do, after you've enjoyed his hospitality."

"Is that what you call it?" Sesshoumaru quipped. "I always thought it was abduction."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, making a joke?" laughed Naraku as the lights flickered on. "The world must be coming to an end."

"For you at least." Sesshoumaru glanced around the room, immediately recognizing the master Tenseiga as it stood in the middle of the room. The blade pointed toward the ceiling, with the hidden compartment on the hilt open with numbers blinking on the screen. Sesshoumaru approached slowly, his mind scanning for anything out of the ordinary before coming to a stop in front of Naraku.

"My, touchy aren't we?" Naraku shrugged when he received no answer, reaching instead to type a few more symbols into the Tenseiga's hard drive. "This would be so much easier if I had the key." He glanced over his shoulder at Sesshoumaru. "Would you be willing to give me the key now?"

Sesshoumaru stood still as marble, his eyes narrowing slightly in answer as his right hand clenched into a tight fist.

"I thought not. Oh well. You know, I never figured you're miko to be so smart. After all, most humans are pretty stupid.

"But she, she's unique. Nearly unstoppable in her power. Have you ever wondered where it comes from?" Naraku sighed as he once again answered by silence. "You know, you're a hard guy to talk to. I guess that means that there won't be much to miss when I assimilate you."

Naraku turned around quickly, red and blue sparks flying through the air as his sword clashing violently with Sesshoumaru's.

)-(

Kanna shrugged, then lunged forward once again. Sutaasafaia blocked, then ducked underneath the blades and punched Kanna in the stomach. Kanna stumbled backward, but not before slicing the tip of her blade across Sutaasafaia's cheek.

"Oh," she gasped, stopping to touch her cheek. She stared at the blood on her fingertips, then snarled. "You're going to pay for that." She sliced through the air in front of her, watching as flaming blades raced toward Kanna.

Kanna flipped over one, jumped over another, and dodged two more before finally slicing through the last one. "Any more, inu youkai?" she laughed.

Sutaasafaia smiled, her hands clasped together in front of her. "Look up."

Kanna did, and gasped as flaming rose petals encircled her inside a fiery tornado. Sutaasafaia opened her hands and the petals descended, each not only burning Kanna but slicing through her legs and arms like tiny razors. She dropped to her knees, attempting to stop the bleeding as Sutaasafaia placed the tip of her sword at the base of Kanna's throat.

"Give up?"

Kanna nodded despondently, her eyes hidden by her bangs as she stood up. Sutaasafaia nodded. "Good. Let's go."

Kanna waited until Sutaasafaia turned her back, then raised her blade. Just as the sword's edge reached Sutaasafaia's hair, Sutaasafaia ducked, pulled out her gun and fired. The bullet flamed instantly, leaving a smoking trail of air upon impact.

Kanna blinked, then dropped the sword. Her hand grasped her chest, the coppery scent of blood flooding the air as thick blood pooled from between her fingers. Sutaasafaia frowned. "Perhaps you'll be smarter in your next lifetime."

She walked out of the room, turning only once as Kanna slumped lifelessly to the floor. "Serves you right for cutting my face," she humphed. She turned down the hallway and toward the stairs, debating between finding Kagome or helping Miroku when she caught Katrina's scent. 'Please tell me she's not where I think she is,' Sutaasafaia groaned, staring up the stairs to the rooftop door. 'I bet she is…' Sutaasafaia jumped the stairs two at a time. 'I bet she is…' She stopped jumping and started running, becoming nothing more than a blonde streak as she ascended the stairs.

Sutaasafaia burst the roof door open, it flying off the hinges and landing a few feet away from her. 'Oh hell, she is…'

)-(

Kagome threw up another shield, this one to protect her from Kagura's physical attacks as the hanyou attempted to slice through Kagome's upper arm. She jumped back, stopping a moment to apply a weather barrier as Kagura watched.

"You've come prepared." She sighed in disappointment, the winds around them dying angrily as Kagura frowned. "That means this will take longer than necessary." She launched another volley of blades at Kagome, watching keenly as she jumped to the side and behind the control panel.

'Great,' she mumbled to herself as she struggled to catch her breath. 'This girl is serious. What to do?' She glanced at the body of the neko youkai beside her, the dagger in his back glinting her reflection merrily at her. 'Hey, that gives me an idea…' She fingered the sheath on her arm, palmed a dagger and stood up.

"OK Kagura," she hollered to the wind youkai. "I give up. Just don't kill me."

"What?" Kagura quirked a brow curiously, then pouted. "Are you really giving up just like that?"

"Yeah," Kagome said, making sure to make her breath heavy and labored. "I think I broke something. I give up."

Kagura walked toward her, a small smile on her face as Kagome stepped from behind the control panel. "And to think Naraku feared you. You're nothing but a little coward."

"Just don't kill me," Kagome said as Kagura grabbed her arm. "I don't want to die!" She jabbed the dagger into the youkai's arm quickly, then twisted from her grasp.

Kagura hissed angrily, jerking Kagome backward and breaking her neck with a flick of her wrist. She held Kagome to her as she slumped forward, the life instantly drained from her being. "There, maybe you'll be smarter in your next life."

"The same could be said for you!"

Kagura gasped and looked down, watching the arrow as it imbedded itself through Kagome and into her chest in a violet comet-like streak. She reached to pull it out, but instead braced herself when her knees gave out. She fell to the floor heavily, her eyes searching for the owner of such power.

Kagome stood on the other side of the control panel, her bow still aimed with another arrow nocked and ready.

"How?" Kagura whispered, covering her mouth when she began to cough. "How did you-?"

"Misdirection," Kagome admitted. She lowered her bow, sending it and the quiver of arrows back to Sesshoumaru's dojo before stepping from around the control panel. She touched her duplicate, it instantly becoming one of the wooden mannequins from the dojo as well.

Kagome slowly kneeled beside Kagura, watching the dying youkai a moment before holding her hand. "Why?" Kagura asked as Kagome wound her fingers around hers. "I tried to kill you. Why would you try to comfort me?"

"Because I don't like to take a life," Kagome answered softly. "No matter what you may have tried to do to me. I forgive you."

Kagura snorted weakly, her vision darkening as she glared up at Kagome's gentle face. "I…don't…need your…" Kagome watched as Kagura's eyes closed and her breathing slowed to a stop, then turned into ash on the wind.

'You may not have needed my forgiveness,' Kagome thought as she retrieved her arrow and opened the door to the hallway. 'But you have it. Now to find Sesshoumaru…'

)-(

A low growl began in the back of Inuyasha's throat, his ears twitching at Rin's gasp as Maten grinned back at them. "You lie…"

"Why would I?" Maten asked. "After all, I was in the backseat when she crashed. She didn't really do as much damage as Naraku would have liked, so I…helped."

"Oh God," Rin whispered in horror. "You killed Aunt Kikyou. How could you?"

"Again, Naraku's orders. I had fun though. She screamed at the sight of me, but she soon stopped tha-"

"That's _enough_!!!" Inuyasha rushed forward, his fist slamming into Maten's jaw as the lightening youkai began to laugh. Hit after hit, punch after punch until Maten's face bled from numerous cuts and bruises, but still he laughed until Inuyasha stepped backward.

"You bastard," he huffed. "She didn't do a thing to you!"

"Not to me, but Naraku wanted her. She dared to tell him no. No one ever tells Naraku no and lives." Maten wiped a bit of blood from his bottom lip, glancing at the sullied digit before licking it clean.

"It's her own fault," he said accusingly. "If she would have left you, she would still be-" He dodged Inuyasha's next blow, then directed his own to Inuyasha's stomach, laughing when he doubled over.

"You're too sensitive," Maten jeered as he kicked Inuyasha again. "But then again, you are a hanyou." He clamped his hand around Inuyasha's neck, pinning him to a wall by thrusting his claws through the concrete. "And just think, you're going to loose another one as well."

"What…are you talkin…about?" Inuyasha wheezed, his lips slowly turning blue as Maten grinned down at him. Maten simply rolled his eyes, taking a moment to pummel the right side of Inuyasha's face before answering him.

"Naraku wants you're little birdy, and he'll have her once I get rid of you. Too bad you won't be here to see the wedding." Lightening flashed around them, it surging around Maten's feet as Inuyasha struggled to get free.

"Goodbye hanyou. See you in Hell!"

"Uncle Yasha, catch!"

Inuyasha turned just as Maten struck, barely avoiding the blow as Maten's lightening charged punch crashed into the wall. He reached up and caught Rin's shoe, staring at it in disbelief before turning to Rin.

"What the…(cough) fuck-"

"Don't just stand there!" Rin hollered as she climbed down the shelf to the ground. "Hit him with it!"

'Is she fucking kidding me?' Inuyasha asked himself as Maten extracted his hand from the wall. He turned to Rin just as she jumped to the ground, pinning the teenager with a blood-red gaze.

"You…" he growled angrily, his fisted hand toward her as it began to glow. "You'll be the first, since you're so ready to go."

"Uncle Yasha!"

"Hey ugly!"

Maten turned just as Inuyasha raised the shoe over his head.

"Here!" He brought the shoe down on Maten's head with a heavy blow, watching as he merely glared at him. "Hee…um…"

Inuyasha let go of the shoe, and to his amazement it remained where it was in the middle of Maten's forehead. Blood trickled from underneath the shoe, down Maten's nose to his chin in thick rivulets. Maten reached up to touch it, glared at Inuyasha one last time, then slumped forward and down, streaking Inuyasha's shirt red with his blood as he fell to the floor.

"Holy shit…" Inuyasha breathed as he dropped to the ground beside the lifeless body. Rin ran to his side, helping him to stand before grimacing.

"Eww…I didn't say to do that!" she complained. "Now all I have is one shoe."

"Give me that!" Inuyasha demanded, reaching down and jerking the other shoe off Rin's foot. His eyes widened marginally at the metallic heel. "Where did you get these?"

"Prada, now can we go? I really don't want to stay here and discuss the latest fashions."

)-(

Naraku leapt away first, Sesshoumaru in hot pursuit as he split his sword in half. "Come now Sesshoumaru," Naraku taunted as he dodged Sesshoumaru's blades. "We don't have to fight. Why are you so angry?"

"Because you've stolen from me," Sesshoumaru growled as Naraku backed himself against a nearby wall. "And this Sesshoumaru is not kind to thieves."

"Ah, but Sesshoumaru-" Naraku barely stepped out of the way as Sesshoumaru thrust his right hand forward, his blade impaling the wall instead of Naraku's gut. He glared over his shoulder at the hanyou, jerking his sword free as Naraku landed on the other side of the room.

"You don't even know what I want the weapon for? Don't you think you should ask before taking my head off?"

"I do not care." Sesshoumaru walked forward slowly, his golden gaze intimidating as Naraku smiled back at him.

"Of course you do. My plan would benefit you." His smile widened considerably, his crimson eyes glowing brightly before he spoke again. "I plan to take back this world run by humans and bring youkai out of hiding. We deserve to rule the pathetic creatures, not live in fear of them."

"I fear nothing," Sesshoumaru commented, his blade once again slicing through empty air as Naraku dodged his blow once again.

"Of course you do, or you wouldn't have a sealing spell. Imagine, instead of settling for your miko, you could have hundreds of them, falling at your feet like the willing servants they are. You could rebuild your harem."

Sesshoumaru darted forward quickly, catching Naraku off guard as he zipped toward him. He quickly slashed forward, his swords slashing an x across Naraku's chest. Naraku hissed painfully, reaching up to touch the wound before glaring at Sesshoumaru.

"All this over some skinny, flat-assed miko! At first I thought to ask you to join me, but now-" Naraku shuddered, then gasped as hundreds of tentacles shot from beneath his pelt. "Now you'll die along with her!"

'I cannot dodge them all,' Sesshoumaru realized as he jumped back, putting some distance between himself and Naraku as the tentacles zipped closer to him. 'So I will dodge what I can, and hack off what I can't.' Sesshoumaru braced himself as the first tentacle flew past his leg, but didn't get the chance to do anything more when a violent purple explosion went off between he and Naraku. Both youkai were instantly blinded, then thrown to the floor as the shockwaves flowed over their bodies.

Sesshoumaru stood first, with Naraku not far behind as they turned toward the now glowing arrow, and then to the source.

)-(

Katrina ducked a passing blow to her chin, then jabbed Shu in the jaw before kicking him in the chest. He grabbed her foot at the last minute, laughing as he dangled her over the edge of the building.

"Did you think it would be that easy?" he taunted, shaking her a moment before tightening his grip on her ankle. "I'm not that hanyou you're in love with. I'm smarter-" he stepped away from the ledge, swung her over his head and slammed her into the asphalt beside him. "faster-" he picked her up and slammed her again, grinning when bones snapped below him. "And deadlier. But better than that-"

Shu stopped, jerking as flaming blades sliced across his back. He turned, his gray eyes bleeding red as he snarled.

"Put her down," Sutaasafaia said slowly, poised and ready to volley off another assault. "Or I'll deep fry your ass."

"What is with you two?" Shu asked jovially. He set Katrina down slowly, his hands in the air as he stepped closer to Sutaasafaia. "I'm not going to hurt her."

"Yeah? Then what was that? Brotherly love?" Sutaasafaia taunted, raising her sword as Shu stopped in front of it.

Shu shrugged and smiled. "I'm just trying to teach her a lesson, that's all. After all, I am the oldest. I'm just trying to look out for her."

Katrina groaned from behind him, reaching up to grasp her right shoulder as Shu stared at Sutaasafaia. "So, you're a fire element," he observed. "Interesting…"

"I'm sure it is." She winced when Katrina shoved her arm back in place, the sound nauseating to the youkai's sensitive stomach. Shu grinned and in an instant water flowed from his fingertips and into her chest, pushing her toward the edge of the building.

Katrina's whip wrapped around Sutaasafaia ankle, it dragging her across the rooftop as Shu's attack shoved Sutaasafaia off the building. Katrina stopped inches from falling, her foot wedged in a crack in the roof as she struggled to hang on to her.

"Sutaasafaia?"

"I'm still here," she called from the side of the building. "but I don't think Miroku's gonna appreciate me throwing up on his helicopter."

Katrina shook her head, Shu momentarily forgotten as she wrapped the whip's length around a nearby support beam. She detached the whip's handle and pushed a button, watching as a short samurai blade protruded from it before confronting Shu.

"Oops," he said with a grin. "Did I do that? I'm so sorry Katrina. Next time I'll be sure to kill her." Shu started to laugh, then stopped when Katrina disappeared. "Where did she go?" he wondered aloud, peering over the side of the building. "Well she didn't go here…but here you are." He smiled at Sutaasafaia, slowly leaning over to the whip ties.

"I think I should untie this. You're youkai, so the fall won't kill you…but it will hurt like he-"

Katrina collided into him from behind, throwing them both off the rooftop and down the building.

"Bitch!" Shu snarled, turning around to face her. "Don't you know that this won't kill me?"

"It may not, but this will." She flipped her blade in her hands, then ran it through his chest. "That was for Father-" she withdrew and sliced through him again "That was for Artemis, and this-" she stabbed through his heart, watching as his eyes widened in surprise. "Is for you. You're not my brother."

"Katrina!" Sutaasafaia struggled with the whip, but swung helplessly from it as Katrina and Shu crashed into the ground.

)-(

Inuyasha ran outside, Rin clinging onto his back for dear life as he threw open the metal double doors. His sealing spell returned the instant the sunlight touched his face, white hair immediately becoming jet black as his ears slid down his skull to the sides of his head.

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha turned and waved to Miroku, who stood a little away from him with a sickly youkai in his arms. "Miroku! I didn't know you were here!"

"Yeah well, I had to get him out for Katrina. This is her dad."

Inuyasha bowed respectfully to the youkai, noticing for the first time the similarities between father and daughter. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"As it is you," the youkai croaked, his voice smoothing out with each syllable. "Tell me, are you the hanyou she talks about?"

"She's told you about me?" Inuyasha asked as Rin slid off his back and to the ground. Katrina's father nodded.

"Of course she has. She's very taken with you. Please, call me Ra."

"Yeah, no prob-"

THUD!!!! 

"What was that?" Miroku asked as a helicopter landed closer to them. Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know. Look, take Rin to the chopper. I'll go see what it is."

)-(

Katrina sat up slowly, her head reeling as dust settled around her. 'Where am I…' she wondered, then looked down. Shu lay bleeding below her, her sword impaled in his chest. She withdrew it slowly, watching as he winced.

"Katrina?"

Katrina stopped, watching as Shu opened his eyes. Warm gray eyes stared back at her, and he smiled. "Shu?"

"Katrina, I'm so sorry." A tear slid down his cheek, and in that moment she realized that this was her brother, not the monster that she fought since her sister died. "I'm sorry for everything. I couldn't control myself. Naraku poisoned my heart-"

"I know Shu," Katrina held his hand, smoothing his hair away from his eyes. "I know."

"Do you forgive me?"

Katrina nodded, tears streaming from her own eyes as she sighed. "I do."

"What of our sister? Will she forgive me too?"

"I bet she already has."

Shu sighed, closing his eyes a brief moment before looking behind her. Inuyasha stood a few feet away, struggling between going to her or letting her be. "Thank you Katrina. You set me free…go. You're inu youkai awaits."

Katrina glanced back, smiling when Inuyasha smiled back at her. "Shu, I just want to-" she stopped, realizing that she could no longer hear Shu's breathing. "Shu?" She placed her hands on his chest, then his neck, feeling for a pulse. "Shu? You're gone, aren't you…You've left me, just like Sis…" Katrina rested her forehead to his, reaching up to close his eyes as her tears splashed on his face. "I hope you're happy Shu," she whispered, then fainted beside him.

Inuyasha walked forward, not exactly understanding all that happened as he swept Katrina up and carried her away from her brother's body. 'Don't worry Katrina,' he told her as he walked away. 'I've got you.'

Two figures watched them go, one glancing at the other with a smile. 'Do you think the youkai will take care of her?' the female asked, her dark hair swirling in the breeze. The male nodded.

'I believe so. However, he is still only a hanyou.'

'Then I take it you're going to do something about that.'

He smiled, then turned to Inuyasha, watching his retreating back for a moment before raising his hand. 'I am. I must insure her safety, after all.' He blew across the palm of his hand, waiting until Inuyasha shivered to look at his companion. 'See, easy as pie.'

'If you say so. Come, let's be off. Our sister has a new life to lead…'

)-(

Sutaasafaia sliced through the whip, falling a couple of feet before landing on her flaming cloud. 'That was close,' she gasped, wiping a drop of sweat from her brow as she floated to the ground. The first thing she saw was Shu's body, it slowly turning to ash and scattering on the breeze.

(End Chapter)

I know you guys, the chapters are screwed up. For the moment, we're going to have to deal until I can load the rest of the chapters.


	33. To Get You BAck Part III: Shared Powers

Chapter Thirty-Three: To Get You Back Part Three: Shared Powers

Inuyasha boarded the chopper, all eyes cast on the unconscious youkai in his arms.

"Is she alright?" Rin asked as Inuyasha sat down beside her. He shrugged in answer, his brow creased in concern as Sutaasafaia boarded the helicopter.

"What happened?" she asked and once again Inuyasha shrugged in answer. "Oh, well then. Where are-"

"Where's Kagome-mama?" Shippou asked from the cockpit. Sonia turned as well, glancing around the helicopter to affirm Kagome's absence.

"They haven't returned yet?" Miroku asked in disbelief. Sonia shook her head. "Nope. We thought you all were still together."

"We were, but we separated when Katrina found us. Where could she be?" Sutaasafaia wondered, her gaze flickering to Katrina's still unconscious form. 'And when are you waking up? It's not like you to be out for so long.'

"Should we go back for them?" Miroku asked anxiously. Inuyasha shook his head. "No, I don't think they need us."

"Are you sure?" Rin asked. "Sesshoumaru-sama could be in big trouble."

Inuyasha cast a wry smile in her direction and rolled his eyes. "And when have you known him not to be?"

)-(

Kagome stepped forward, Naraku in her focus as she stood beside Sesshoumaru.

"You're late," Sesshoumaru muttered softly, secretly relieved to see her despite the distraction she would now serve to be. Kagome glared at him from the corner of her eyes, then shrugged.

"What can I say? We can't all run on your clock." She walked past him slowly, pressing her back to the far left wall before raising her bow and nocking another arrow. "I won't get in the way unless I have to. Oh, and Naraku?"

"Yes miko?"

"My ass is not flat, nor is it any of your business. You may proceed."

Sesshoumaru shook his head in amusement, his swords blocking Naraku's wild swing as the battle began anew. Tentacles shot from underneath Naraku's pelt once again, streaking through the air shrouded in black miasma. Sesshoumaru stepped back, parrying the tentacles as Kagome threw separate shields around them, effectively blocking the poisonous gas so they could breathe.

"Nice try Naraku," Kagome said as she began to purify the miasma. The scent of thunderstorms and heavy rain quickly replaced the toxin until nothing remained. Naraku glared angrily at her, realizing that it would be wise to focus more on Kagome than Sesshoumaru.

'She could be a great hindrance to my plans,' Naraku reasoned as he reset his game plan. 'So perhaps it would be best not to underestimate her.' He glanced at her once again, the violet glow of Kagome's shield as it shimmered around her triggered a long forgotten memory of another.

"I sense you up there Onigumo," she whispered softly, glancing up into a nearby tree. "Come down."

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Naraku snarled as he landed in front of her, startling her at his closeness. "My name is Naraku, not Onigumo."

"You will always be Onigumo to me," she replied, then turned and continued gathering herbs. "So there is not much you can do about it."

Naraku growled angrily, reached down and jerked her to her feet. He shook her lightly, never truly intending on hurting the dark-haired miko before him in favor of convincing her to see things his way. "I can slit your throat wench."

Slap! 

Naraku stumbled backward, the fact that the blow happened more startling than the blow itself as he glared at her. "What was that for?"

"How many times do I have to tell you _Onigumo_?" she snapped angrily, her brownish-blue eyes glimmering with an inner fire. "My name is Midoriko. Not wench, not human, and certainly not bitch!" She lightly shrugged at his questioning stare. "Just in case you decide to add that one to your list of things to call me."

She turned her back on him then, reaching down to retrieve her basket of forgotten plants before walking back to her village. Naraku glared at her back, then leapt to the tree limbs and followed her.

"You know miko," he called down to her as her village came into view. "You wouldn't have to worry about me if you gave me what I wanted."

Midoriko stopped then, her eyes downcast as she weighed his words. "You do not know what you ask. It is not meant for the likes of you."

"And it's meant for you?!" Naraku snapped angrily. "You-You made it, yet you're afraid of it!!"

"You would do well to fear it hanyou. It only brings trouble to those who seek it." Midoriko moved to say more, but shook her head and entered the village, leaving nothing but her scent and her words of warning behind."

'She should have gave it to me,' Naraku thought angrily, his crimson eyes darkening the longer he glared at Kagome. 'She should never have tried to stop me. She should-'

"I am your opponent, not her," Sesshoumaru growled as he slashed forward, effectively breaking through Naraku's thoughts as his left sword slashed through yet another tentacle. Naraku grimaced, then flexed the appendage before regarding his foe. The tentacle grew back instantly, shooting for Sesshoumaru again with many more in pursuit.

Sesshoumaru dodged them again, regretting not slitting the hanyou's throat as an unseen tentacle crept toward Kagome. He sliced and hacked his way to Naraku himself, readying himself for another blow when a shriek pierced the air from behind him.

A tentacle wrapped around Kagome's waist lifted her into the air, then squeezed tightly as she struggled to wiggle free.

"Ew-ew-EW!!!" Kagome yelled in a panic, her bow long forgotten as she kicked at the appendage. "It's cold!" She gasped breathlessly when Naraku gripped her tighter, slowly applying more pressure until Sesshoumaru heard bones begin to creak together.

"Oh no you don't!" Naraku called when Sesshoumaru began to charge toward her. "You're staying right here!" The tentacles began their assault anew, Sesshoumaru once again slicing and hewing his way through kudzu-like projectiles.

SF: For those that have no idea what kudzu is, it's this really tenacious plant in the south that no matter how much you cut it, it keeps growing right back. Quick stuff too, so that explains the analogy. And yes, there is someone somewhere that has no idea what kudzu is.

Kagome continued to squirm, both friend and foe ignoring her completely as she fought to stay calm. 'Nasty-nasty-nasty,' she grumbled to herself as she gathered her power. 'Got to get free from this-' Her eyes widened as something cold, clammy and slimy crept up her pant leg, it grasping the denim tightly as it wound its way around the junction of her thigh and pelvis. Her brain went into shock as it tried to reach beneath the bullet-proof vest and her blouse to her stomach, her breath coming in short pants as one thought ran laps around her mind, then passed from her mind to her mouth in one giant

"EWWWWWWWW!!!!!! GET IT _OFFFFFFFF_!!!!!!!!!"

Purple ki burst from her hands, it slowly purifying the tentacle into ash as Naraku howled in agony. He tossed her across the room with the last of the limb's strength, ash raining down upon her as she collided with the large panel windows behind her and dropped to the floor with a thud.

"Ow…." Kagome groaned softly, her eyes closed and her movement slow when she began to sit up. "That kinda hurt…"

"Are you alright Kagome?" Sesshoumaru called to her as he and Naraku continued their battle. Kagome nodded slightly, then realized that Sesshoumaru would never see it with his back turned to her.

"Yes," she answered back. "I'm fine. Slightly pissed off, but fine." She stretched out her hand, her bow reappearing in her palm before she reached to her back for another arrow. Another tentacle shot from Sesshoumaru's attention, this time it smacking Kagome square in the chest and shoving her back into the windows behind her before wrapping around her torso and slamming her to the concrete floor, where it released her.

Sesshoumaru's eyes began to bleed red, his blood boiling at the sight of such mistreatment to his 'possession'. He quickly clicked the swords back together, then gripped the nearest tentacle with his free left hand.

"What have I told you hanyou…" Sesshoumaru growled darkly, the blue crescent casting his face under an indigo glow as green poison began to flow from his hand. His claws dug into the tentacle skin, the poison entering Naraku's bloodstream as more wrapped around Sesshoumaru's muscular frame. He flickered an annoyed scarlet gaze to them, then casually raised his right hand. His sword sliced through the rows and rows of slimy bondages easily, each falling to the floor before turning into dust and flying to another corner of the room.

"You will pay for that Sesshoumaru!" Naraku snarled in agony, tentacles once again snaking their way around Sesshoumaru. He released a massive dose of miasma with them, forcing Sesshoumaru to release his left hand's hold on Naraku's person to cover his nose.

"Kukukukukukukuk!" Naraku cackled evilly as he slowly applied an anaconda-like grip on Sesshoumaru torso, forcing the air from the inu youkai's lungs. The red left Sesshoumaru's eyes instantly, the lack of oxygen forcing him to greedily gulp the miasma around him in putrid gasps and pants.

"You will die," Naraku told him as Sesshoumaru's vision blacked around him. "And to think, a hanyou will kill you. Isn't that hysterical?"

"No…"

Both Sesshoumaru and Naraku turned to Kagome, watching as she raised herself to her hands and knees. "It's not funny," Kagome answered weakly, her head downcast, bracing herself against the window when she finally stood on her own two feet.

Her aura flickered around her steadily, the pink, blue and purple swirling around her as vibrant golds and deep emerald greens streamed among them. Naraku and Sesshoumaru stared in shock as her power seemed to increase considerably under their watchful stare. Only Naraku recognized this power surge, and the determined look in Kagome's eyes as she stared at him in pure hatred.

"I've always thought that there was some good in everyone, including you," Kagome whispered.

"I've always thought the best of you, in spite of what evil you've done in the past," Midoriko whispered, her arrow nocked and ready as Naraku stared her down.

"But you've proven me wrong. There is nothing good inside you." Kagome's aura flashed once again, the purple slowly engulfing the other colors.

"A total absence of the good; you're soul is nothing but evil." Midoriko's arrow glowed purple instantly, the bowstring taunt and ready to fire.

"The world hasn't done a thing to deserve you," Kagome continued as the glow moved to the center of her palms.

"And so, it would be better to take your leave," Midoriko said sadly, her eyes hardening in determination.

"I'm so sorry to do this, but today…"

"…you must pay with your blood…"

"You…." Naraku took a cautious step toward her, ignoring the warning growl from Sesshoumaru as he nonchalantly dropped the taiyoukai on his behind and walked away. "You….you're….Midoriko?"

Sesshoumaru gracefully rose to his feet, nonplussed about being handled so disrespectfully when he heard what Naraku uttered. For all intents and purposes, Kagome seemed completely unaware of the faux pas, but Sesshoumaru knew the name, remembered it and realized why Onigumo Naraku seemed so familiar to him from the first moment he stepped foot into Sesshoumaru's office.

"You're the sealed hanyou, aren't you?" Sesshoumaru said, glaring at him in contempt. "The one that sought the Shikon no Tama and was killed-"

"I wasn't _killed_!" Naraku snarled back, spinning on his heels to face him. "That _bitch_-" he pointed an accusing finger at Kagome, who emotionlessly watched the entire scene. "sealed me to that fucking **tree** like some kind of dog!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed fractionally, but he remained quiet as Naraku raved on.

"All she had to do was give me the fucking jewel!" Naraku hissed angrily. A tentacle shot toward Kagome, instantly grabbing her by her upper arm and dragging her to Naraku's waiting grasp. "But she wouldn't! She thought she had me, didn't you you little wench?" he growled in Kagome's face, his breath dancing across her cheeks. Sesshoumaru thought to step between them, but the glowing violet bleeding into Kagome's eyes caused him to take a cautious step back instead.

"Naraku, that's not the miko of which you speak," Sesshoumaru said calmly, the claws of his free hand balling into a fist when Naraku grasped Kagome's neck and squeezed. "That miko is dead. You killed her, remember?"

"Of course I do," Naraku glared over Kagome's head and into Sesshoumaru's eyes, the red orbs glinting in barely hidden malicious merriment. "But this is her reincarnation. Don't you recognize her?"

Sesshoumaru glanced to Kagome a moment, then back to Naraku with a stoic glare. "They bear some resemblance, but I doubt-"

"Do you remember you're last moments, Midoriko?" Naraku cooed into Kagome's ear, his fingers lovingly stroking the back of her neck as his hand squeezed tighter around her throat. "I do. They're what kept me alive. I remember how wonderful it was to feel your rapidly cooling blood flow down my claws, and the ripping sound when I slit your throat. Oh I had fun with you my pretty miko, and to think that you were stupid enough to come near that tree."

"Naraku stop it," Sesshoumaru ordered, the affection in which he regarded Kagome, the eerie calm that said miko seemed to have slipped into and the dark bruises forming on her throat unnerving him somewhat. "She is not your opponent. I am. Fight me."

"You can wait," Naraku growled. "You can all wait. It's she who deserves the death I promised her so many years ago. The death I gave. " His smirk deepened into a wide grin, fangs glinting in the afternoon sunlight as he raised Kagome above his head and shook her fiercely.

"And the death I will give again. Goodbye, pretty miko."

A white light flooded the room suddenly, and when it faded Naraku lay beneath a hole in the wall on the other side of the room, semi-conscious. Sesshoumaru glanced back to Kagome, who seemed to have come out of the stupor she was in and stood shivering a few feet beside him.

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru said aloud, reaching a hand out for her. She turned frightening eyes to him, her gaze pleading him to help her out of whatever abyss she seemed to have tumbled into. "Kagome, come here."

She took timid steps toward him, her hands clasped tightly in front of her as she came closer to him. She was like a frightened child to him, the strong, independent woman gone to the four winds as she stopped directly in front of him.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said softly. In spite of this Kagome jumped, the nervousness and fear in her scent heightening to nearly suffocating levels. 'We do not have time for this,' Sesshoumaru reasoned with himself as he reached out for Kagome's hand. She jerked backward stiffly, avoiding his touch like the plague. 'Whatever that light was, it drained her considerably. I must get her out of here, then I will deal with Naraku.'

"Kagome, come here," Sesshoumaru ordered gently. "I'm not angry with you. Just come here."

Kagome did so reluctantly, her tiny fingers reaching out for his when she shrieked in agony. She dropped to her knees, her eyes snapping shut as Sesshoumaru glanced from the tentacle in her side to it's deliverer.

"Naraku…." he growled, his eyes instantly becoming red, his fangs lengthening and his claws extending as she sheathed his sword and attacked the hanyou head on. Naraku dodged what blows he could, but pieces of him were still ripped and shredded into while the tentacle inside Kagome raised her from the floor to the ceiling above.

Kagome shrieked again, this time caught between the pain in her side and the pain she would no doubt suffer if she fell from such a height. The tentacle plummeted to the floor instantly, it stopping with Kagome's nose a mere inch from the concrete before jerking itself out and away from her. Kagome fell heavily, fading in and out of consciousness as Sesshoumaru and Naraku fought in front of her.

"Oh man…." she groaned painfully, her eyes still closed as she grasped her side. "This is so bad. This is so very-"

Tink! 

Sesshoumaru and Naraku stopped at the sound, both turning to Kagome as a small bloody stone rolled from her to them, leaving a scarlet trail behind it. It stopped between Naraku and Sesshoumaru, both youkai glancing at each other, then it before registering what it was.

"The Shikon no Tama," Naraku whispered in amazement, the power from the little pink bead glowing from it's confinements. "It's….beautiful."

'It came _out_ of her," Sesshoumaru thought over and over again, mystified for the first time in his entire life. 'How…why…when?'

Kagome glanced up, her eyes widening in horror as she groaned a desperate "Oh no…."

"I must have it!" Naraku pounced, Sesshoumaru pouncing a second later as the Kagome jumped up and scrambled after the jewel. Each landed on top of one another, with Naraku at the bottom and Kagome on the very top.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome called beneath her. "Tell me you have it."

"I do not."

"Just great," Kagome muttered as the floor below them began to glow a dark midnight plum. Dark ki surged around them, engulfing them in miasma before blasting them off Naraku and back…

…You guessed it…

Into the windows along the outer wall. Sesshoumaru landed first, with Kagome crashing down onto his back moments later. They both sat up, glaring at the powered-up hanyou before Sesshoumaru cast Kagome an accusing glare.

"Talk about keeping a secret," he muttered sarcastically. "Was there something you forgot to tell me?"

"Um," Kagome said sheepishly. "Can this wait?"

"No."

"Great…" Kagome took a deep breath, glanced at Naraku, then said "I was born with the Shikon inside me. They tried to take it out when I was a kid, but said that if they did it would've killed me. That's why Ji-chan trained me to be a miko."

"So you're the guardian?""Yeah.""And Midoriko's incarnation?"

Kagome scratched her head thoughtfully. "Probably. Never gave much thought to that idea."

"Kukukukukukuku!" Naraku cackled happily, lovingly stroking the tainted jewel in his hands. "Finally it's mine! I've waited so long to have it, and now nothing can stop me!"

"Sesshoumaru! You have to get that from him!" Kagome shouted as the floor began to rumble beneath them.

"This Sesshoumaru doesn't take orders from you."

"Bleeding saints…" Kagome fought the urge to shake some sense into him, opting instead of stroking his ego. "Look Sesshoumaru, you're right to mad. I should have told you. But I just thought that if anything happened, you could handle it. I know you can take him Sesshoumaru, but will you?" She cast puppy dog eyes in his direction, the adorable look melting even Sesshoumaru's fortress. "Please? You can yell at me all you want to later."

"Fine," Sesshoumaru said as he stood up and brushed himself off. "Once again, I'll take responsibility for something you've caused."

"Hey!" Kagome called as he walked away from her. "Since when did you ever _have_ to take over for me?"

Sesshoumaru ignored this, the countless times he saved her life since knowing her being pushed to the back of his mind when he stopped before the hyped up Naraku.

"You're going to try to take it from me, aren't you?" Naraku hissed lowly. Sesshoumaru said nothing, merely dropping into his well used ready stance and motioning for Naraku to make the first move. Naraku fisted his hand, his left tightening around the Shikon as the two circled each other.

Naraku struck first, his sword slicing through empty air as Sesshoumaru ducked underneath his arm and fired a right jab to Naraku's right kidney. He punched him in the side again, then grabbed Naraku by the arm, flipped him over his shoulder and slammed him down. Sesshoumaru stepped back as Naraku stood up, a wide smile on his face as he rounded on the taiyoukai. "That hurt Sesshoumaru. Good for you." Naraku darted forward, grasped Sesshoumaru by the front of his lab coat and returned the favor, leaving a deep crack in the floor beneath them.

Kagome stood up gradually, watching as Sesshoumaru and Naraku attempted to get the best of each other. Naraku kept his eyes on her the entire time, narrowly dodging Sesshoumaru's blows as Kagome looked on.

"I have to help Sesshoumaru," Kagome said to herself, raising her hand as the remains of her power began to build within her.

"Ah-ah-ah," Naraku taunted, waving his hand in her direction before Sesshoumaru swept his feet from underneath him. An invisible force flattened Kagome against the glass behind her moments later, the windows groaning under the pressure as Kagome struggled to breathe. She sank to her knees when it released her, her breath coming in short puffs as one thought surfaced in her mind.

'He's _toying_ with Sesshoumaru. There's no way we can stop him now.'

"Where are they?" Miroku said for the fifth time in the past 5 minutes. Sutaasafaia growled angrily as everyone else groaned around them. "Miroku, if you say that again, I swear I'm gonna ram your head into your neck."

"Sheesh," Miroku muttered as everyone else mumbled in agreement. "I just want to know. They've been gone for an awfully long time."

"Well, find something else to talk about," Inuyasha grumbled from the back of the plane. Katrina lay still in his lap, her face firmly pressed into his neck as he cradled the back of her head. "There are some of us that are trying to think."

"Alright then." Miroku thought a moment, then glared at Sutaasafaia. "You! Are you going to wash this thing when we get back!"

"Um," Sutaasafaia stuttered. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yes you do! You up-chucked on my heli! How in the hell am I supposed to take this back with your guts all over it?!"

"My guts are _not_ on it!" Sutaasafaia argued back. "I didn't mean to!"

"So you admit to it!"

"Yeah but-"

"Shut the **FUCK UP YOU TWO**!!!!" Inuyasha bellowed angrily. "Stop arguing about stupid shit and sit the fuck down. I'll wash the bloody thing, if it'll make you feel better!"

"That's not it," Miroku said quietly as everyone else sobered around them. "It's the principal-"

"I don't care if it's the president, shut the fuck up."

"Be nice Inuyasha, or you'll force me to zap you."

Katrina sat up groggily, rapidly blinking from the light streaming into the helicopter before flashing Inuyasha a weary smile. "Threatening others, I see."

"God, girl. You're crazy as hell." Inuyasha hugged her tightly, his relief flooding over his overly-stressed features as he nuzzled her neck. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"I don't plan on it. Hey Houshi-sama," she glanced to the cockpit and the grinning hentai. "Where's my father?"

"Right here," Ra said from behind her, his form the form Naraku took when they were still inside the oil rig. Inuyasha stood her up reluctantly, reaching out when Katrina wobbled a bit before launching herself at the falcon youkai.

"Daddy! I'm so glad to see you!" she cried against him, her sobs muffled by his shoulder as Inuyasha and the others looked on. "How are you?"

"Waterlogged now." Ra smiled when she shook her head and punched his arm. "Seriously, I'm fine, but your friend is not.""Who?" Miroku asked. "Who's in trouble?"

"I do not know her name, but there is trouble on the other side of the rig. It's a couple of floors up."

"Then let's go back inside," Sutaasafaia replied, reaching over for her forgotten weapon. Ra shook his head.

"No. We would only get in the way, and I'm not at full strength yet. This contraption flies, yes?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied as Miroku jumped into the cockpit. Shippou sat beside him, leaving Sonia and the others to buckle up in the back.

"Good. Go that way," Ra directed, pointing to part of the oil rig that hung over the gulf. "That is where they are."

Kagome winced as Sesshoumaru took another blow, sailing through the air and into the friendly windows once again.

"This is becoming tiresome," Sesshoumaru growled in annoyance. "Is there something I'm missing?"

"Not as far as I know of," Kagome answered back, she and Sesshoumaru standing to their feet and glaring at the cackling madman in front of them. "We've tried fighting him separately-"

"Which failed," Sesshoumaru interjected, eying the bruise underneath Kagome's eye.

"Right. We've tried fighting him together-"

"Which, again, failed."

Kagome scowled at him, then sighed and shook her head. "I just can't seem to get an answer for it. Separately, I could handle the jewel and you could dice Naraku into teeny cubes-"

Sesshoumaru smirked mischievously at the thought.

"But together they're kicking our butts." Kagome shrugged at Sesshoumaru's growl. "Well, they are."

'Unfortunately, the little vixen is right,' Sesshoumaru said to himself as Kagome thought beside him. 'Together, they are stronger than us. Logically, we should be stronger than they if we work together, but we aren't.'

"What's the matter you two?" Naraku jeered from the middle of the room. "I want to play. Don't make me come over there."

'Logic is not working here, but why?' He studied Naraku intently, noticing nothing out of the ordinary until he glanced at his left hand. It glowed a steady dark purple that seemed to radiate up his arm to the rest of his body in tight waves.

"Perhaps…."

Kagome blinked as Sesshoumaru rushed past her, watching as he suddenly appeared in front of Naraku. He grabbed his glowing hand, Naraku instantly opening his palm and releasing an awesome wave of miasma directly into Sesshoumaru's chest. Sesshoumaru flew backward, Kagome erecting a shield to stop him from smashing into the windows. Sesshoumaru dropped into a crouch seconds later, the shield disappearing behind him as he processed the new information.

"Why did you do that Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked as she kneeled beside him. "I mean, that was really-urk!"

Sesshoumaru grasped her shoulder tightly, jerking her to her feet as he too rose and glared at Naraku from behind Kagome's head.

"Are you resorting to hiding now?" Naraku taunted darkly. "Are you that afraid of me?"

'Logic wasn't working because it was the wrong logic," Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he turned Kagome to face him. 'Naraku and the Shikon aren't working together. Naraku's _using_ the Shikon. That's why Kagome and I are so frustrated. To defeat the hanyou, I have to use something other than my claws and fists.'

Sesshoumaru lowered his head to Kagome's shoulder; gently tugging the vest and shirt aside as the answer quickly came to him. He glared at Naraku from over her shoulder, Kagome's confusion coming off of her in waves when he licked the junction between her shoulder and neck.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome said as she attempted to shove his head away. He wrapped an arm around her waist and jerked her closer to him, his movements leaving no room to argue as his hand cupped the back of her head.

"Awww…" Naraku sighed, a wide grin spreading on his face. "A lover's moment before the end. How very special." He dramatically clasped his hands over his heart, his grin wicked as Sesshoumaru ignored him. He pulled Kagome's hair free of the ponytail holder, his fingers running through the ebony strands as she began to tremble in his embrace.

"Sesshoumaru." She touched his cheek, pulling back when he growled into her neck. He continued his ministrations, mentally willing Kagome to relax as the answer to their problems lay before him.

'To beat the hanyou, I must use something that can handle the Shikon. Something like…' Sesshoumaru brushed a fang against Kagome's skin, her gasp tickling his ears before he extended his fangs and bit down fully.

Kagome gasped sharply, her fingers digging into Sesshoumaru's forearms as blinding stabs of pain left her breathless. Naraku watched this with widened eyes as Sesshoumaru drank, the first thing on his mind was the exquisite taste of the coppery liquid that flowed into him.

Sesshoumaru purred slightly, grasping a fistful of hair and violently jerking Kagome's head to the side to deepen the wound. To his surprise she held completely still, her eyes closing as Sesshoumaru's did beside her.

'Trusting little creature,' Sesshoumaru mused as the first burst of power coursed through him. He barely winced as the purity flowed from his mouth, down his throat and into his bloodstream, burning like a shot of strong whiskey before warming him completely. 'Even her blood accepts me. I must keep from draining her dry on my own.'

Kagome relaxed slowly, her grasp on his arms weakening as she slumped against him. Sesshoumaru could hear her heart struggling to beat, the few droplets providing it's limited supply of oxygen as struggled to stay conscious. 'No,' she told herself repeatedly. 'I must…stay…awak…'

Sesshoumaru released his mouth's hold on her reluctantly, his fangs receding into his mouth as he licked the wound clean. He then lowered her to the floor, leaving her to rest in the sunshine before wiping away the few remaining drops of her blood from his mouth. He closed his eyes as Naraku glared at him, then slowly approached him.

"Now that you've had your snack Sesshoumaru," Naraku growled, his hand absorbing more of the jewel as Sesshoumaru stopped in front of him. "Maybe we can get to business."

"Of course," Sesshoumaru whispered, his eyes still closed as Naraku waited for him to make the first move.

"After you."

"No," Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I insist."

"Very well then." Naraku's tentacles zipped forward, instantly wrapping around Sesshoumaru's waist and squeezing tightly. Sesshoumaru said nothing, nor made any move to free himself as the limbs constricted tighter around him.

"Are you in pain Sesshoumaru?" Naraku mocked, pulling Sesshoumaru toward him so they stood face to face. "If you are, I can stop…if you beg."

Kagome lay on her side, her breathing heavy and labored as her body struggled to heal itself and replace the blood Sesshoumaru drained from her. 'Why?' she asked herself as Naraku struck Sesshoumaru's left cheek. 'Why did he do it, and why isn't he fighting?'

"Come now Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku growled angrily, striking the silent youkai again and again. "You will beg me, I assure you. There are worse ways to make you." He raised his left hand to hit Sesshoumaru again, the blow nearly connecting when Sesshoumaru grasped Naraku's wrist.

"Is this the response you were hoping for?" Sesshoumaru snarled, cracking every bone beneath his fingers before snapping the entire hand from Naraku's arm. He tossed it over his shoulder to Kagome, who quickly retrieved the Shikon no Tama and tucked it safely into her vest.

Sesshoumaru dug his claws into the remaining stump, his toxin flowing from their tips and melting the rest of the arm.

"You know what sucks worse than being poisoned?" Sesshoumaru growled lightly, his left hand grasping Naraku's throat and squeezing roughly. Sesshoumaru frowned when he received nothing but Naraku's pained gasp, then shrugged.

"I see you're incapacitated. Allow me to answer it for you." Sesshoumaru opened once golden eyes, allowing Naraku to drink his full of the rare, frosty blue gaze as Sesshoumaru broke into a rare grin.

"It's purification. Hurts like hell, don't you think?"

His left hand began to glow a violent purple, streaking down his claws and into the back of Naraku's neck. Purification began instantly, ash falling from Naraku's body in large gray flakes.

"No!" Naraku shrieked in outrage. "This isn't possible! How are you doing this?"

"Easy," Sesshoumaru answered, slamming the dying hanyou into the side of the master Tenseiga and pinning him there. He lowered his lips to Naraku's ear, whispering only for him to hear.

"She, and her power, belong to me. That means the Shikon no Tama is mine to do what I please with as well." He glanced up at the master Tenseiga a moment, his right hand gripping nothing but air as he looked back to Naraku.

"You know Naraku, I've been thinking. Since you so obviously want the Tenseiga, and the Dark Star, I'll make you a deal."

"Don't play games with him Sesshoumaru," Kagome gasped feebly, still unable to move as she reached out for him. "Just…please, just do it."

"What kind of deal?" Naraku asked, eyeing the blue-eyed taiyoukai as Sesshoumaru thought a moment. He jerked forward suddenly, pulling his sword from thin air and plunging it deep within Naraku's heart, through his back and into the master Tenseiga.

"Take it to Hell with you."

Naraku's eyes widened impossibly, him staring at the wound as his blood began to short the circuits of the Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru's hands still gripped his sword's hilt, the borrowed power that flowed within him combining with the natural ki of the sword as it attacked every cell of Naraku's being. Soon there was nothing left of the hanyou but the blood in the rapidly unstable Tenseiga and the ash that floated around him.

"You did it Sesshoumaru," Kagome whispered as he jerked his sword free and turned to her. A circuit popped behind him, the only warning sign before the Tenseiga and every other piece of electronics exploded around them.

They were instantly shoved through the windows, Sesshoumaru's tail wrapping around the edge as Kagome whizzed past him and plummeted to the ocean nine stories below.

"Holy shit!" Miroku cursed, directing the helicopter around the falling bits of broken glass as he hovered over the ocean in the back of the rig. "What was that?"

"What's that falling?" Rin asked, pointing to a black dot falling from the building. "And is that Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Inuyasha nodded, then focused on the black dot. "Hey, that's Kagome!"

"What?!" Shippou gasped, turning in his seat to see better. "Why is she falling? Why isn't she trying to save herself?"

"Her ki has been depleted," Katrina answered as she swung a leg off the side of the helicopter. Inuyasha grasped her shoulder and shook his head when she looked at him.

"No. This is Sesshoumaru's decision."

"What?" Miroku hollered. "Are you serious? We're saving Kagome!"

"No!" Sutaasafaia yelled over the helicopter blades. "Inuyasha's right! This is Sesshoumaru's decision!"

"Since when does that bastard decide if someone lives or dies! And won't he die if he jumps after her?"

"Doubt it," Inuyasha answered. "It'll hurt like hell thought. If he doesn't do anything in the next couple of seconds, Katrina-"

"I already know," Katrina said, jet black feathers replacing the hair on her head. Inuyasha nodded. "Good."

"You guys are so fricking cool!" Sonia exclaimed from beside them. "You're like a bird mutant, right?"

"Um, no," Katrina said with a shake of her head. "I'm not."

"Then what are you-"

Sutaasafaia turned her around swiftly, her hands gently clasping either side of Sonia's head as she said "Remember that little talk about what you shouldn't put on the internet or tell anyone else?"

"Yeah?""This counts."

"Awwww!"

"What do we do now?" Katrina asked as Kagome continued to fall. Inuyasha sighed heavily, glancing to the white dot still hanging onto the ledge of the building.

"Wait."

Sesshoumaru reached out as she sped past, his fingers barely brushing against the fabric of her pant leg before she dropped below him and out of his reach. His sealing spell reappeared the instant the window shattered, leaving his human appearance behind.

Sesshoumaru watched her fall, expecting any minute for her to disappear and transmit both herself and him back to the ground below.

_"So if another plane crashes…"_

"_Then I'd have to do it while it was level in the sky, before it started to fall. So we'd still be screwed, in a sense."_

'That is correct,' Sesshoumaru realized as he remembered that conversation. 'She can't transmit in mid air. She's too weak to do anything else. That would mean…' He glanced down at her once again, this time to find her looking up at him as sirens wailed in the distance.

'Don't do it Sesshoumaru,' she whispered in his mind. 'The police are coming, and anything you try to do will expose yourself and Inuyasha.'

'But you'll die if I don't,' Sesshoumaru told her, watching as she fell further and further away from him.

'Then I'll die for you. I'll be glad to. Goodbye Sesshoumaru.' She shut off their connection, closing her mind to him as well as closing her eyes. Sesshoumaru cursed, then decided as he dropped the sealing spell.

'Wrong answer miko,' Sesshoumaru growled to himself as he released the ledge.

'I'm…going to die,' Kagome thought to herself as she fell. 'I wonder if the impact will kill me instantly, or will I drown first? I guess it doesn't matter. Sango, Miroku, guys, I'm so sorr-' She stopped as something warm wrapped around her, curling her into a ball as it cradled her against something strong and solid. 'I'm…I'm dead,' she concluded. 'That's the only reason for this warmth…but why am I still falling?

She opened her eyes for a split second, then blinked as she stared back into eyes so much like her own. "Who are you?" she whispered, earning a smile in response.

"Yes, you would forget me," Sesshoumaru grumbled good-naturedly, shaking his head when she reached to hug him. "I need you to stay perfectly still, alright?"

Kagome nodded as he curled himself around her, his tail winding around them as he attempted to erect one of Kagome's weather shields.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"

Kagome brushed her cheek against his, a warmth spreading through her when he returned the gesture. "Thank you."

They finally hit the ocean surface, sinking underwater before Sesshoumaru could respond.

"Yes!" Inuyasha shouted when they disappeared, giving Katrina a brief hug before stumbling back to his seat.

"What did we miss?" Miroku griped as he landed the helicopter on a nearby beach. "We may have to fish for two bodies.""I doubt that Miroku," Sutaasafaia said, jumping to the sand when the helicopter landed. "We just have to find them."

"Found them!" Shippou exclaimed, pointing to something wet and fluffy floating toward them. It sank a moment before resurfacing moments later, Sesshoumaru's head breaking above water as he dragged Kagome on-shore with him.

"She's not breathing," he huffed as he collapsed to his knees beside her. "And she's cold. Where's the emergency crew?"

"A long way away from here," Shippou answered, anxiously hopping from one foot to another as Kagome's lips turned blue. "Isn't someone going to do something?"

"Yeah, I got it," Inuyasha said, kneeling on Kagome's other side and motioning for Sesshoumaru to do the same. "OK, this is how we'll do it; I'll breathe into her mouth-"

"I don't think so," Sesshoumaru frowned, earning a growl in response.

"I do, because you didn't take CPR! Every moment we spend 'debating' it is every moment we're closer to losing her. Do you want to continue?"

"Go ahead halfbreed," Sesshoumaru growled back. Inuyasha opened Kagome's mouth, pinched her nose and gently puffed air into her lungs, Sesshoumaru and the others watching for any sighs as her chest rose.

"Now Sesshoumaru, you push down _gently_," Inuyasha instructed, turning Kagome's head to the side as Sesshoumaru pushed the water from her lungs. They repeated this process twice before Kagome rolled to the side and spit up water on her own, her gasping for air as the police and ambulance finally arrived.

"What happened?" an officer asked as Sesshoumaru gathered Kagome's damp and sleeping form into his arms.

"I'll be more than happy to explain," Sutaasafaia said, flashing her CIA identification to the officer before she led him away from the others.

Inuyasha watched them go, groaning as more officers replaced them before glancing at his unusually quiet sibling. Sesshoumaru sat with his legs crossed underneath him, with Kagome huddled in his lap. He whispered something in her ear as his sealing spell returned to it's proper place, hiding his youkai features and the tail that Inuyasha would've bet money was still around Kagome as she slept.

"I'm proud of you Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha said softly.

"What?"

"I'm proud of you. I didn't think you would've saved her at first, but I'm glad you did."

"Of course I did," Sesshoumaru said, raising his head to look at him. Inuyasha started at the new eye color, opening his mouth to ask when Sesshoumaru said

"I couldn't very well let her die. She belongs to me, now more than ever before."

----


	34. The Point of No Return

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Point of No Return

_Saturday, 6:03 PM, Atlanta, GA_

Kagome slowly awakened, listening to the various sounds around her as she attempted to determine for herself where she was. She could hear a TV, the sound of running water and-

"Miroku, if you put your hand there…"

Slap! 

Slap! 

"Ow…"

Kagome laughed quietly to herself, sitting up and opening her eyes to see her surrounding. Sutaasafaia and Katrina stood at the ends of hers and Sango's beds, Sango, Inuyasha and Shippou laughing their heads off at the battered hentai at their feet.

"How many times do I have to tell you," Katrina grumbled as Sutaasafaia nudged Miroku in the side. "Don't-touch-me!"

"I agree Miroku!" Sutaasafaia said as she sat on the foot of Kagome's bed. "An officer should have more control."

"I just can't help myself," Miroku defended himself as he stood up. "I seem to forget myself around pretty ladies."

"Yeah, well you'd better remember yourself next time," Sango said in mock annoyance. "Because it'll be ugly if I have to get up from here."

"Well, I, um…here's my favorite pretty lady now!" Miroku said, waving over Sutaasafaia's shoulder to Kagome. "How are you?"

"Sore all over," she mumbled, gaining the others attention as Shippou appeared at her side and hugged her.

"Kagome-mama! I'm so glad to see you!" he blurted out. "We've thought you were dead too many times this week! Promise you won't do it again!"

"I promise Shippou," Kagome said, patting his flaming hair gently. "I'll be good from now on."

"Good, because you missed a lot," Sutaasafaia said, making herself comfortable as she readied her 'report'. "For one, Naraku's dead."

"Could've fooled me," Kagome muttered, then smiled sheepishly. "How do they know?"

"I don't know. Something about DNA remains. Anyway, you guys blasted him into dust!"

"Actually, Sesshoumaru blasted him into dust. Where is he anyway?"

"That's the best par-OW!" Inuyasha hollered as Katrina nudged him in the side. "What was that for?"

"Sutaasafaia isn't finished," she said as she sat on his knee. "So be patient a moment, if you please."

"Whatever," he grumbled, grasping her hip before waving Sutaasafaia on. "Go 'head so I can get to my part of the story."

"Fine, grouch." Sutaasafaia pouted a moment, then turned her back on him completely. "Not only did we take down Onigumo Naraku, international smuggler, terrorist and all around scumbag, we took out his entire operation!"

"Wow," Kagome said as the others cheered around her. "What else?"

"Well, aside of the Tenseiga being in that place, there were guns and drugs that were seized by the FBI. Oh, and for going above and beyond the call of duty, _we got our jobs back!!!!_"

"REALLY?!" Kagome squealed, she and Sutaasafaia hugging happily as Katrina and Inuyasha held their ears.

"Ouch you two," Inuyasha grumbled. "It's nice to see you happy, but do you have to be so fucking _loud_ about it?"

"Shut up Inuyasha," Shippou said from beside Sango. "No one gives a damn about your hearing!"

"Shippou!" Kagome gasped in surprise. Inuyasha jumped up, Katrina sliding from his lap to the floor as he reached for Shippou.

"Come here you little brat!" Inuyasha yelled, chasing Shippou as he jumped over both Sango and Kagome, through the door and out of the room in a giggling, whirling mass of red hair.

"Should we stop them?" Katrina asked as she picked herself up off the floor. She, Sutaasafaia, Kagome and Sango looked at each other a moment, then

"Nope."

"What about Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked once again, this time shaking Sutaasafaia's arm.

"What about him?" she asked mischievously, then winced when Kagome punched her arm.

"You know what about him!"

"What about who?" Kagome glanced to the door, then beamed happily as Sesshoumaru stepped into the room. "And why is Inuyasha chasing a red ball down the hallway?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"Oh yeah, that," Katrina said with a sigh. "That's a long story. Um, Sesshoumaru-sama-"

"Do not worry Katrina," Sesshoumaru said with a wave of his hand. "You are in no trouble with me. I hear that you destroyed the youkai that kidnapped Rin, yes?"

"Yes," Katrina said softly, her eyes downcast as she held back tears of sadness. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Good. Then you have paid your debt to me."

"And what about me?" Kagome asked, pouting a moment before taking in his attire. "Forget that, what are you wearing?"

Sesshoumaru glanced down at the Atlanta Braves jersey he wore, it being at least a size too small with the same white pants Kagome found at the lab. "This is his," he commented, pointing to Miroku. "I have not had a chance to call for more clothing."

"Yeah," Sutaasafaia interjected. "Neither he, Katrina or Inuyasha have had a chance to get a change of clothes."

"Jeez, that sucks." Kagome chuckled softly, then began to protest as Sutaasafaia and the others began to file out of the room. "Hey, where are you guys going?"

"We're going outside," Sango said as she too slipped from her bed and followed the others. "And before you get started, Katrina healed me enough to be able to move around. You and Sesshoumaru have some things to talk about."

Kagome frowned at her back as she left the room, Sango quietly closing the door behind her as Sesshoumaru sat at the foot of Kagome's bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair away from Kagome's face. Kagome shrugged in reply. "As good as I should feel, I guess."

"You do understand that I could not have defeated the hanyou if it were not for you."

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I had a feeling that you had a plan." She rubbed her neck gingerly, the bite mark slowly healing underneath her fingers. "But I didn't expect it to hurt."

Sesshoumaru chuckled darkly, earning a punch in the arm in response. "My apologies." He turned serious then, turning to Kagome with curious, golden eyes. "Why?"

"Why what?" Kagome asked, applying one last burst to her neck before looking at him. "Why did I come to get you?"

"Yes."

"Simple." Kagome took a deep breath, then blushed as she whispered "I missed you."

"But you hated me," Sesshoumaru said with a quirk of his brow. "Has that changed?"

"I never hated you," Kagome admitted. "I was mad, I still kinda am, but I never hated you."

"You have every right to be."

Kagome turned to him quickly, her surprise evident on her face as she checked his pulse. "Are you feeling ok?"

"I am fine, I assure you," Sesshoumaru grumbled, hastily yanking his arm out of her grasp.

"Don't be offended Sesshoumaru," Kagome said to him, reaching for his hand and entwining her fingers in his. "I just didn't expect you to say that, that's all."

"I'm sure you didn't." Sesshoumaru glanced down at her, then shook his head in amusement. "But then again, do we really know what to expect from each other?"

Kagome giggled slightly, nodding her head in agreement. "Yeah, you're right about that. After all, who would think that you and I would get along with each other."

"Or that you would be the guardian of the Shikon."

"Yeah…" Kagome said nervously. "About that…"

"There is no need to explain," Sesshoumaru told her as he pulled her into his lap. "But I wish to make a deal with you."

"It isn't the same kind of deal you made with Naraku, is it?" Kagome asked skeptically. Sesshoumaru gently poked her in the side, then did it again as she giggled and attempted to squirm out of his reach. "Ok, ok!" she finally gasped. "What kind of deal?"

"I want to start over, from 'scratch' as you would say," he replied. "If that is ok with you."

"Well…"

"Hey Kagome!" Kagome and Sesshoumaru turned just as Miroku poked his head into the room. "We just got a call from Kaede. She says that we can go home now. She wants a full report tomorrow though, ok?"

"Yeah ok." Kagome sighed to herself, lost in some distant thought before turning to Sesshoumaru with a smile. "You ready to go?" she asked, she and Sesshoumaru standing up and off the bed.

"I suppose so," Sesshoumaru answered. He reached inside his pocket for his cell phone, his fingers dialing a few numbers as Kagome shook her head.

"Silly, silly Sesshoumaru."

"What was-" Sesshoumaru blinked, then shut his phone when a pink light flashed in front of him. They stood in his upstairs hallway a few moments later, Kagome leaning against the wall with a lopsided smile on her face.

"Well, that would explain that."

Kagome giggled beside him, then shook her head and opened the door to her room. "I'll wait in here so you can change, ok?"

"No." He rested his hand on her shoulder, then opened his bedroom door. Kagome cast him a skeptical glance, which he swiftly brushed aside. "I want you to be the first person I see when I get out of the shower."

"Oh." Kagome fought the blush that threatened to stain her cheeks. 'You and your dirty mind, Kagome…' "Sure, ok then." She walked in behind him, immediately floored by the elegance of his room. The entire room was decorated in charcoal grays, blacks and whites, a stark contrast to the bright reds, blues and greens of her room.

"I'll be right back," Sesshoumaru told her, interrupting her musings before disappearing behind a nearby door. Water started moments later, and Kagome took the time to finish her thoughts as Sesshoumaru took his shower.

'Well, here I am again,' she said to herself, taking a seat in a chair next to the door. 'Who would imagine that we would have gone through so much after we left last week? He's done so much, and he's still so aloft, but there are moments when he can be really sweet.'

Kagome sighed quietly, her index finger rubbing her forehead as she felt the onslaught of a killer headache. 'I feel so different now. Last week and this week are so different. I…can't imagine being without him now.' She sent her healing after the frayed nerve causing her distress, her thoughts still in a spin as the water in the bathroom shut off. 'I'll never live as long as him and Ji-chan would freak if he found out about him, but I don't think I care anymore. I just want to be with him.'

She looked up as Sesshoumaru came out of the bathroom, a fluffy white towel wrapped toga-style around his waist with another towel in his hand as he dried his hair. He glanced in her direction, then fully studied the conflicted look on her face. "Kagome?"

'Yeah,' Kagome agreed with herself, finally rising out of the chair and moving to stand in front of Sesshoumaru. 'I just…I don't care anymore. I know he's told a lot of stories, but he wants to start over. I want to start over too.'

Sesshoumaru watched her curiously, more thoughtful than alarmed when her hand rose to gently cup his cheek. "Kagome, are you alright?"

"Yeah," Kagome replied with a nod of her head. "Never better." She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his before she lost the nerve. Sesshoumaru started instantly, the towel in his hand forgotten as Kagome shyly swept her mouth over his.

'This is new,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself, barely aware that Kagome was slowly backing them toward his bed. 'Normally I kiss her first.'

Kagome stopped when her heel knocked against the bed frame, her hand reaching behind her to hastily shove the blankets aside as she slowly traced Sesshoumaru's bottom lip with her tongue. She quickly boosted herself onto the bed, pulling a more than willing Sesshoumaru on top of her before deepening the kiss.

Sesshoumaru kept his breaths deep and low, slowly drinking in the scent of her arousal as it fogged his mind and systematically shut down his self-control. He quickly took over the kiss, immediately drawing her tongue into his mouth and purring in satisfaction. Kagome's hands buried themselves deep inside Sesshoumaru's damp mane, urging him to continue as he struggled to stop.

"Kagome," he whispered, his voice thick and husky even to him. He pulled away and shook himself free, only to stiffen in pleasure as she pressed warm, wet kisses down his throat. "Kagome, we have to stop."

"Why?" she whispered beneath him, somehow managing to settle him between her legs, stroke his back and tease his ear at the same time.

"Because if we don't, we might do something you don't want to do."

"But I want this."

Sesshoumaru's tail quickly wound itself around her wrists, pinning her hands above her head while Sesshoumaru tilted her face toward him. "You want what?" he asked, his mind slowly clearing itself as Kagome began to blush.

"I want…" she chewed on her lower lip nervously, Sesshoumaru reprimanding her with a quick kiss before urging her to go in. "I want you, and…"

"And?" Sesshoumaru asked, though he had a feeling where she was going. 'No. I'll not jump to conclusions. If she truly wants this, then she'll ask. Then she'll belong to me, and no one could challenge it.'

"And I don't want to stop Sesshoumaru." Her blush darkened considerably, her arousal and her embarrassment fighting a one sided battle against each other. Sesshoumaru loomed over her for a moment, his eyes distant and his face expressionless before slowly lowering his head next to hers and tracing her ear with the tip of his nose.

"Then what do you want me to do Kagome," he murmured softly, his breath dancing on the side of her face. "This Sesshoumaru cannot read minds." 'Well, I could, but I don't see why I should.'

Anger flared in her scent for a moment, it nearly as intoxicating as her arousal before Kagome sighed. "I want to keep going." She softly caressed his cheek with hers, bringing her knees up to his waist and waiting until he looked at her to whisper "Please…"

'Well,' Sesshoumaru thought as he complied to her wishes, his lips crashing down on hers in a passionate and fiery kiss. 'Who would have thought that she'd beg for it?'

)Sango: Surely you guys at FanFiction remember what the plus sign means. Trust me, the lemon is actually important to some of the rest of the story. To understand, check out Mediaminer.(

_6:08 AM_

Kagome woke slowly, taking the time to adjust to her surroundings as she looked around the room. 'Oh, I'm still in Sesshoumaru's room,' she realized, taking a moment to snuggle underneath the covers. She glanced over at the nearby nightstand, then sat up with a wince and reached for the Shikon.

'When did he have it put on a necklace?' she wondered to herself, fingering the herringbone chain and pondering the pendant clasp attached to the jewel itself. 'And where on earth is Sesshoumaru?'

Kagome turned toward the bathroom, where she briefly heard water running before it was shut off. 'Oh, so that's where he is,' Kagome said with a smile. 'I wonder how fast he can dry off and get dresse-'

Sesshoumaru emerged from the bathroom moments later, fastening the last cufflink before glancing up at her and smiling. "Awake I see."

"Good morning Sesshoumaru," Kagome greeted shyly, a light blush rising on her cheeks. Sesshoumaru leaned over and brushed his lips against her forehead. "I suppose it is a good morning. I, however, prefer last night."

Kagome's blush deepened, to which Sesshoumaru chuckled lightly before sitting up and off the bed. "What time is it?" she asked, glancing around for a clock of some kind. She finally found the small digital on the other side of the bed. "Oh wow! It's 6:18!"

"Yes, and I must be leaving you," Sesshoumaru replied. "I'm sure the office is in chaos after my absence."

"I've got to be going too." Kagome slid down the side of the bed, noticing for the first time how high it was before wrapping the sheet around her body and looking around. "Um, Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"

"Where are my clothes?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled again, this time shaking his head slightly. "Do you not remember? They were…_destroyed_, if I remember correctly."

Kagome blushed again, remembering exactly what happened to her clothes, then shrugged and made her way to the door connecting to her room.

"Kagome, where are you going?" Sesshoumaru asked, his voice flat and emotionless.

"I'm going to get a change of clothes," Kagome replied, unaware of the blank, stoic look on her lover's face.

"Why?"

"Because I have to go to work, remember?" Kagome reached for the door, only to have her hand rebounded by a blood red ki barrier. "What the…Sesshoumaru? Why is my room blocked off?"

"You don't need clothes Kagome," Sesshoumaru told her, gently pulling her toward him and enfolding her in a secure hug. Kagome giggled, playfully swatting at his hands and attempting to get out of his grasp.

"Of course I need clothes," Kagome replied. "Can you imagine Miroku's face if I showed up like this."

Sesshoumaru growled suddenly, a sound that threatened blood and murder at the very idea. Kagome patted his arm, trying to regain his attention before finally waving her hand in his face. "Sesshoumaru. What's wrong?"

"You don't need clothes," Sesshoumaru told her, his hold on her tightening with each word. "Because you will not be returning to work."

"What? What do you mean by that?" Kagome demanded as she began squirming in his arms. "I have to go to work! I'll get fired if I don't!"

"You are going to quit."

"You must be crazy!" Kagome shouted. "I can't quit my job! I like my job!""You act as if you have a choice," Sesshoumaru snarled angrily, finally fed up with her insolence. "You will quit, and you will stay here."

"No, I won't!!" Kagome argued back. "I have friends and family! I can't stay here! I know you love me and all but-"

"Did I say I loved you?" Sesshoumaru interrupted, instantly granted with complete silence. "That…may not have been true…"

"What…" Kagome gasped, her eyes wide and disbelieving. "What are you…you don't…I don't-"

"Of course you do," Sesshoumaru replied, ignoring the aching in his chest as tears welled in her eyes. 'It is for her own good,' he told himself as he allowed Kagome to step out of his arms. 'She needs to be punished for her disobedience. There is no other way.'

"No," Kagome whispered, the first of many tears streaking down her cheeks. "I don't…you said-"

"What I said and what I mean are two different things, my dear miko," Sesshoumaru said coldly, disregarding the sudden urge to be gentle on her, to hold her when she began to shake. "Youkai cannot love, and if we could, do you think I'd love you? You are miko, and human. You're deserving of nothing but my bed."

Kagome blinked, then blinked again, her mind telling her that there was no way, _no way_ Sesshoumaru just said what she obviously heard. 'He doesn't love me,' she realized as it finally sank in. 'He used me, tricked me. I'm nothing but a _toy_ to him.'

Grief turned to righteous indignation, a need for revenge as she stared him in the face and screamed "I _won't_ be talked to like that! And I **_will not_ **stay **_here_**!!!! Goodbye, you pompous asshole!"

She turned to the door, intent on leaving when, in a silver flash, she suddenly found herself sprawled on her stomach, with Sesshoumaru pinning her to the floor and a bruise darkening on her right cheek.

'How _dare she_?!' Sesshoumaru snarled viciously, his well taught control withering away before him. 'I should kill her for her insolence! No one speaks to me like this-'

"Get off me Sesshoumaru," Kagome commanded beneath him, her voice eerily calm has her heartbeat slowed to a steady beat. "Or I swear to God, I'll fry you where you sit."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed fractionally, his claws extended and itching to bathe in her blood when a better idea surfaced in his mind. He leaned forward slowly, his hand combing through her hair before fisting at the base of her skull and jerking her head up.

"You listen to me," he growled dangerously, his rage growing by leaps and bounds by her defiance and lack of fear. "For I will only say this once: You belong to me. You will do as I say. For every time you disobey, I will find some way to…punish you."

"I don't care what you do to me," Kagome said back. "You can't hurt me."

"Hurt you?" Sesshoumaru replied as if insulted by the mere idea. "I would never dream of hurting you. I am very creative in the ways of punishment, my dear miko. You will do exactly as I say."

"Never!" Kagome said with a breathy gasp. Sesshoumaru chuckled again, a dark, evil sound that sent shivers up Kagome's spine.

"You will be surprised at what I'll have you doing, my dove.

"I shall continue this later," Sesshoumaru told her as he stood up. "If you've been a good girl of course."

Kagome reached back to grasp his pant leg, then gasped when she found herself all alone. "Sesshoumaru?" She stood up slowly, her body trembling as she attempted to gain her footings. "Sesshoumaru?" 'Is he…gone?' She called his name once again, then bolted for the door when she didn't get an answer.

She touched the doorknob, and was instantly thrown across the room by a ki barrier. She reached for it again, and was at once greeted with something five times more powerful than a static shock. 'No!' She banged on the door once, ignoring the instant burning in her fists as she pounded the door again.

"No-no-no-no-no-_no_!!!!!" Kagome slammed her fists against the door, the ki barrier flaring against her meager amount of ki as she struggled to get free. "Let me out of here Sesshoumaru!"

"You have not earned the privilege to leave," Sesshoumaru told her from the other side. "So there is where you'll stay. Oh, and do not try to escape. The barriers have some of your ki, what I had remaining after Naraku. I'm sure the spell would have been powerful without it, but every little bit counts."

"Sesshoumaru, you fucking bastard! You let me out of here right now! Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru turned and walked down the hallway, his ears twitching with every beat of Kagome's fists against the hard pine of his chamber doors. 'She will hurt herself that way.'

'_She wouldn't have to, if you'd go back and apologize.'_

'Apologize? For?'

'_For what you've done! For what you're doing! You can't keep her caged like this!'_

'I can and I am,' Sesshoumaru argued back, pausing a moment to speak to the twins as they appeared at the base of the steps.

"My lord, what is the matter?" Ah asked. "What is that racket?"

"That is Kagome," Sesshoumaru replied dryly. "Make sure she stays where she is, and that she is fed."

"But Sesshoumaru-sama," Un inquired, watching as Sesshoumaru walked past him and retrieved his car keys from the briefcase beside the front door. "Why is she locked up so? Is she infected again?""No," Sesshoumaru said with an aggravated sigh. 'Why am I having to explain myself so often lately?' "She was disobedient. She needs to learn control, and restraint."

"Disobedient?" Ah repeated, the color draining from his already pale face.

"My lord, why-"

"You dare to question me?" Sesshoumaru growled, pinning them both with an icy glare. Ah and Un immediately shook their heads in the negative. "Good. I am leaving." He stepped out the door and to the garage, immediately pulling off and down the road toward Boston.

'_This is wrong Sesshoumaru,'_ his inner voice argued. _'You're making a mistake.'_

'This is the way all concubines are taught,' Sesshoumaru reminded himself.

'_But Kagome is not a concubine!_' it argued back. _'She **loves** you, or loved you. After the stunt you just pulled, I'd be surprised if she still does.'_

'Kagome will be fine,' Sesshoumaru assured himself.

'_You hit her…_'

Sesshoumaru paused a moment, a brief guilty look shining in his molten eyes before hardening in self-righteousness. 'I will heal her when I return.'

'_But Sesshoumaru-'_

'No buts,' Sesshoumaru dismissed the voice entirely. 'My decision is made. There will be no regrets.'

_4:00 PM_

Kagome stood up slowly, attempting to wipe her face dry as she attempted to catch her breath. 'Crying all day definitely doesn't help one get out of a situation,' Kagome reminded herself, instantly falling back into Ji-chan's training. 'I have to get out of here. I can't…be here when he gets here.'

The Shikon no Tama glowed beside the bed, it shimmering brightly as Kagome finally remembered its presence. 'That's right! Maybe I can use this.' Kagome fastened the jewel around her neck, the tiny stone glinting in recognition before fading to a soft, pure pink.

"My power," Kagome whispered as the jewel's energy flowed throughout her body, giving her the feeling of the Energizer bunny. 'It 's back, but how….who cares? I have to get out of here.'

"Kagome-chan?"

Kagome turned toward the door, instantly recognizing Ah's voice. "Ah? Is that you?"

"Yes, Kagome-chan. Un is here with me."

"How are you my lady?" Un asked. Kagome laughed sardonically. "As well as can be expected. Can you guys let me out of here?"

"I'm sorry Kagome-chan. Sesshoumaru-sama said not to."

"Oh. I understand."

"But if you need anything, we'll be sure to get it," Un suggested comfortingly.

"I just want out of here," Kagome replied, then gasp as something warm settled on her chest. She looked down, her eyes widening as the Shikon began to glow around her neck. "Oh wow…"

"Kagome-chan? What's wrong?"

Kagome said nothing, merely watching as the light settled over her. She shook her head clear, her mind slightly fuzzy and her thoughts muddled as she felt the Shikon's ki flow throughout her body. She shed the sheet from her body, it pooling to her feet before she stepped away and toward what she could only guess was the closet. She opened the door and stepped inside, walking around the large expanse until she found what she was looking for; a navy blue silk dress shirt.

Kagome watched as her body slipped into the shirt, buttoning it meticulously before exiting the closet and touching the door. "Ah?" she called softly. "Un? Are you guys still there?"

"We're here Kagome-chan," Ah called back. "Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"No," Kagome replied, watching as a blue gas seeped from her side of the door to the other side. "Just forgive me."

"What was th-What the hell?"

"What's this?"

Kagome smiled softly when she heard two thumps from the other side. 'They'll sleep until Sesshoumaru wakes them up. Hopefully there will still be some traces of the gas. I wonder where it came from. Oh well.' She glanced around the room, casting an angry glare at the rumbled bed. 'I can't believe how stupid I was. It doesn't matter now. I'll never see him again.'

She reached for the pink holographic necklace around her neck, ripping it off and throwing it on the bed in two quick jerks. 'No tears for him. Not for what he's done. Nope…no tears for you…'

And with one last look, and a single rebellious tear, Kagome disappeared from the room.

_7:45 PM_

Sesshoumaru opened the front door, immediately sensing something amiss as he called for Ah and Un through their mental link. 'Where are they?' Sesshoumaru wondered, tracking their scents up the steps. His wonder turned to silent panic as he rounded the corner, finding the ryuu twins slumped against his bedroom door. Faint traces of Kagome's ki could be seen beside them. Sesshoumaru shook them harshly, bringing them out of their stupor.

"What happened? Where is Kagome?"

Ah groaned, holding the side his head as Un struggled to answer. "We are not sure my lord."

"We were suddenly attacked. We have no idea of Lady Kagome's condition."

Sesshoumaru snarled, shattering the barrier as he viciously tore the door from it's hinges. His room was the way he left it, with only one missing detail….Kagome.

Sesshoumaru walked onto the balcony, defecting the barrier on it's doors as he scanned the gardens and the wind for any sign of her scent. 'Where is she?'

He turned back to the room, noticing for the first time that his closet was slightly ajar. He opened it, flipping through his suits and other clothes to find one of his shirts missing. From here Kagome's scent disappeared, leaving behind the aroma of her power.

'She…transmitted herself out of my barrier,' Sesshoumaru realized. 'She….defied me! How dare she!' Sesshoumaru snarled, his claws digging into the wood as he ripped the closet door from the wall. 'That…that…_bitch! _How dare she disobey me! I will find her, drag her back here kicking and screaming if I have to! She will learn to obey me!' Sesshoumaru ripped the covers off the bed, stopping when his gaze fell upon a single drop of red the size of a pinprick. 'What is this…'

Sesshoumaru reached for it, tugging the sheet from the bed so his fingers could trace this small piece of Kagome; the evidence of how deeply he wronged her. 'She, she never cried. She never told me to stop.' Sesshoumaru slumped against the wall, holding the sheet for dear life as guilt flooded his soul.

'She…but I…I never knew…'

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Ah whispered, he and Un standing in the threshold. Their eyes widened at the destruction in front of them, drinking in the violence each piece of ripped cloth and splintered wood seemed to represent. Their heads lowered in sympathy at their lord, who sat unaware of their presence as he looked from the sheet in his hands to the wall above the headboard of his bed, where the sword she gave him used to hang.

It was then that the last piece of ice fell from his heart, the organ suddenly overcome with sadness, regret…

And love…

And it was then that Sesshoumaru realized his mistake.

"What have I done…"

----


	35. Could've, Should've, Would've

I don't own it, so don't sue. I'm flat broke anyway.

To Bear Witness

SF: I put up all the reviews I got before this update, so if you're missing, please forgive me. Everyone should be here next week. I don't own Inuyasha. I also don't own Brian McKnight's 'Should've, Would've, Could've'. This song is so great, and if you haven't heard it you should. And if you like 'A Kiss' and 'A Role Reversal', they've both been recently updated.

Oh, and these mean writing, or lyrics as it were.

Chapter Thirty-Five: Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda

4 months later

Sesshoumaru sat on the piano bench in the front room, his fingers dejectedly grazing the ivory piano keys. His tail trailed along the floor, it twitching miserably every now and again. 'What is wrong with me?' he wondered as he pulled his khaki-clad legs beneath him and played a few bars. 'I shouldn't feel like this. She's nothing but a human, a nuisance. A possible threat to my existence.'

He sighed, his slender fingers pausing on the keys. 'Then why do I miss her…' Sesshoumaru closed the keyboard, his hand resting on the wooden closure. 'I should forget her, but I can't. Why can't I?' He shook his head, the nonsense of it all clouding his mind. Among the clouds was inspiration, and before Sesshoumaru realized it he reached out for a pen and a spare sheet of paper.

'How ironic,' he mused as the words flowed from the pen. 'That before her, I merely played with this but after her it would almost seem as a release…'

_Can you put your bags down? Just wait. Hold on for a minute._

Sesshoumaru smiled, one of the few since she left. 'Even in this, she influences me.'

_I have to say a couple things before you go even though I know that we're finished_.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru glanced up, then nodded at Ah and Un as they stood at the end of the piano. "Yes?"

"We…we have a surprise for you."

Sesshoumaru observed them a moment, their nervousness and slight fear infecting their scent like a virus. 'What could they be afraid of?' Sesshoumaru stood, bringing the slip of paper with him as Un and Ah lead him out of the front room and through the hallway.

_I don't want you to leave without knowing just where I'm coming from_.

Ah opened the door, Un stepping aside so Sesshoumaru could enter first before trailing behind him. Sesshoumaru glanced around, then to the ryuu youkai walking ahead of him. "What is so special about the ballroom?"

Ah smiled nervously as he and Un walked to the other side of the room. Together they stood before the large glass windows, one of the windows veiled in ruby red material. "You see my lord, we were hoping to give you this on better terms but…"

"But, unfortunately we can't so-"

"Speed this up," Sesshoumaru growled irritably. "I have more important things to do."

"A-as you w-wish," Uh stuttered, yanking down on a golden cord. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as the red veil fell to the floor.

_I just want to say I made a big mistake and now I have to face the fact that I…_

There, where but a plain glass window once stood, was a stained glass portrait of himself and Kagome. They were both dressed as they were for Christmas, with himself holding her from behind as she smiled down at him. The sunlight streamed through the colored glass, making his doppelganger's eyes glow golden and made what seemed like a rosy blush on Kagome's cheeks.

_Should've been a better man; The kind of man that you needed._

"We-" Un stammered, startling Sesshoumaru slightly as he struggled for words. "We all chipped in for this."

"All?"

"Yeah," Ah answered. "Ourselves and Rin. We thought it would make you happy."

_Would've been better off If I'd done right by you._

Sesshoumaru gazed back at the glass, secretly jealous of his mirror image. 'She would have blushed that way, as she always did whenever I held her. I think that's what I miss about her most.'

_I could've done this, I could've done that but I know I can't go back._

He turned to Ah and Un, who waited for his approval or displeasure before turning his back and walking toward the door. 'They…miss her as well. I cannot deny them what little joy this may bring, nor can I punish them for something meant for my good.'

"My lord," Uh called. "What would you have us do?"

Sesshoumaru paused at the door, his head lowered and his eyes downcast.

_Because now it's just too late. I'm saying should've, would've, could've._

"It may stay."

_I can tell by the look on your face_

Sango silently glanced over the conference table at her friend, watching as Kagome sighed for the second time during the meeting. Her arms were folded, gently protecting her head from the cold table. Shippou cast an uneasy smile to Sango as Miroku sighed. Shippou wrapped his tail around Kagome's waist. She tensed, and for a moment Shippou smelled a little fear in her scent.

_You're not trying to hear what I'm saying._

"Kagome, are you ok?"

Kagome sat up, brushing a stray hair from her face as she gave him a weary smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." She stroked his tail a moment, then leaned back against the table. Shippou shrugged and revived his sealing spell as Kaede came into the room.

"You guys have done an exceptional job on your past two missions," she praised as she sat at the head of the table. Kagome sat up and paid attention as Kaede continued. "This past mission was solved quickly and efficiently. As a matter of fact, you all deserve three weeks vacation, with pay!"

"Woo-hoo!" Shippou cheered as Sango and Miroku thanked Kaede.

"Is it mandatory?"

_Maybe you've heard all of this before._

Kaede blinked, as did the others as they turned to look at Kagome. "Is what mandatory?"

"The vacation? Do we have to?"

Kaede frowned, glancing at Sango before finally addressing Kagome. "It's not, but I strongly recommend it. It can become mandatory if I deem it necessary."

"Oh."

Kaede turned to the others, who shrugged as Kagome's head returned to the safety of her arms. "Well, that's all I wanted. See you guys in three weeks!"

She left as did the others, everyone taking the elevator to the lobby and the street below. Sango watched Kagome walk to her car, then turned to Miroku with a sigh.

"I'm going with Kagome."

"Are you sure?" Miroku questioned. Sango nodded. "Yup. Something's been bothering her, and I want to know what it is."

"Alright, but call me if you need anything."

_This isn't a game that I'm playing._

"Kagome!"

Kagome glanced, then rolled down her window as Sango ran to her car door. "Hey wait!"

"What is it?" Kagome asked, watching Sango as she struggled to catch her breath. Sango withheld the gasp in her throat, realizing for the first time how offset Kagome really was. Her normally fair skin was now ashen, with the dark circles under her eyes barely hidden by a few drops of concealer.

"I want to talk to you."

Kagome nodded, reaching to turn the ignition. "About?"

"About what's bothering you. You seem so distant, so sad. Please tell me Kagome."

Kagome sighed, glancing up at her friend before snapping on her seat belt. "Nothing's wr-"

"Don't start that!" Sango snapped, grabbing Kagome by the collar and shaking her gently. "We've all been worried sick about you for God knows how long! I'm tired of hearing 'I'm fine' and 'Nothing's wrong' when there is!" Guilt washed over Kagome as tears welled up in Sango's eyes. "I'm tired of my best friend lying to me. Why won't you tell me? Is it something I did?"

"No, it's not you." Kagome sighed, then opened the passenger side door. "Get in. I'll take you home." Sango did so, brushing away a few stray tears as Kagome pulled into traffic. "How about I tell you a story?"

Sango nodded, waving to Miroku as they passed him. Kagome closed her eyes a moment, then stared ahead. "Once there was a happy woman, the heroine of our story."

_This may be the last chance I ever have to talk to you before you go._

"She was happy because she had everything she could ever want in her life. She was successful in her job, had the love of friends and family, and even worked with her closest friend in the world. Her world was simple, but happy and she loved it the way it was."

Kagome made a left turn at a light, then glanced at Sango before returning to the road ahead of her. "One day, her job gives her an assignment. She meets someone…interesting. Soon, she starts having feelings for him, and thought he might have some for her."

_So I have to say I made a big mistake_

"To everyone else on the outside, he was cold and calculating, but to our heroine he was sweet and rather caring. Our heroine fought the feelings within herself to stay professional with him, to ignore the evidence of her heart slowly giving itself over to him. Eventually, her heart won out and she confessed her love, which he returned.

"One night, his home was raided by a group of youkai. She fought to protect him, but couldn't match up to the forces that were against her.

"It was then that he came to her rescue, not the human she fell in love with, but the western taiyoukai from her childhood fears and dreams."

_And now it's killing me that I_

"No way," Sango gasped, suddenly winded as what Kagome said hit home. "You mean Mr. Takamada…"

"Yup," Kagome nodded, making a right turn and stopping for a red light. "He's _that_ Sesshoumaru."

"Wow."

"Anyway, our heroine of course felt betrayed by his secret, but not because he didn't tell her. It was more that she felt that he didn't trust her enough to tell her. He apologized, and she accepted whole-heartedly."

"It was then that her dearest friend was injured, to a point where some doubted she'd survive. He comforted her, insuring her that her friend would indeed make it through because she was an 'evil bitch with steel for blood'."

Sango giggled, covering her mouth with her hands as Kagome smiled. "He said that?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "That guy and his sense of humor. Our heroine and her charge were summoned back to headquarters, where she learned another little secret about him."

_Should've been a better man; the kind of man that you needed.  
_

"It turns out that he was responsible for a virtual doomsday device launched into Earth's atmosphere, and that the only thing standing between the madman that wanted to kill him and the weapon was a tiny pink holographic key around her neck."

"The pink necklace?"

"The pink necklace. Well, our heroine lost her temper on that one. One secret too many and all that rot. She quit speaking to him but for the mission, deciding that when it was over she'd never see him again."

"So imagine her shock when he's taken from her, swept away and the only thing she could do was watch. She's determined then to get him back, forgiving his transgressions in her desperation. Together they defeated their enemy and returned safe and sound."

_Would've been better off if I'd done right by you._

"Once there, she gives freely her forgiveness, her love, and shares herself with him."

Sango's eyes narrowed in confusion, then widened in understanding. "Kagome. You didn't…"

"She did, and fell asleep in his arms afterward. The next morning, he changed. He demanded that she quit her job, forget her friends and family and stay with him. It was then he admitted that our heroine was nothing more than a trophy, a prized possession and that he held no love for her because 'youkai cannot love', at least not a human like me. He locked our heroine away, sealing her inside his bedroom until his return."

"Oh Kagome," Sango whispered as Kagome parked into a space by Sango's front door. "I'm so sorry."

Kagome forged ahead, ignoring Sango's sentiments. "He left a pair of loyal servants to watch over her, to give her anything but to be let out." She turned to look at Sango, a ghost of a smile on her broken-hearted face.

"But he forgot one thing."

_I could have done this, I could've done that but I know I can't go back._

Sango blinked, and in an instant Kagome disappeared. Sango looked around the inside of the car, checking the floor of the back seat as a tapping sounded on her window. Sango turned and squeaked as Kagome waved at her from the other side.

"But how?"

Kagome shrugged as she opened Sango's door. "Not important. What is is that our heroine escaped, wearing nothing but one of his shirts. She hasn't heard from or spoken to him since." She lowered her head, her hands covering her face as she began to cry. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"Shhh…" Sango whispered as she reached out for her. "Don't cry."

Kagome sniffed, uncovering her face before grasping Sango's shoulder. "You know what I want you to do?"

"What?"

"I want you to have fun during our vacation. Screw Miroku silly. That kind of thing. But don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"But Kagom-"

_Because now it's just too late. I'm saying should've, would've, could've._

Sango blinked, staring wildly ahead as her living room appeared before her. "What on earth…Kagome?" But no one answered, and soon Sango realized that she was alone; Kagome long since gone.

_I should've done my best to love you._

Sesshoumaru ascended the stairs to his room, his fingertips lightly brushing the railing. He stopped before Kagome's room before going into his own.

_I should've placed no one above you._

Kagome walked into her apartment, wiping her cheeks dry as she looked around the room. There, on it's usual perch beside her kitchen table, hung Sesshoumaru's shirt. She put it on, holding the cuffs to her nose and inhaling deeply.

_And now it's killing me more than you know; Letting you go._

He walked in silently, his footsteps coming to a stop at the head of his bed. Above the mahogany headboard were a set of nails; nails that once held a pair of swords. 'Why did they disappear?' he wondered as he touched a nail. 'Were they connected to her somehow…'

_That's why I_…

Kagome leaned against the wall and slid down, her arms encircling her knees the moment she touched the floor. She rested her head on her knees. 'Why do I miss him so much? Why can't I forget him?' She closed her eyes, unconsciously transporting herself to her room at Sesshoumaru's mansion. Her back rested against the door as Sesshoumaru pressed his forehead against it from the other side.

_I know that I should've been a better man; (Could've been a better man to you.)_

'I should have killed her when I had the chance.'

'I should've stuck to protocol.'

_The kind of man that you needed. (Should've been there for you every time you needed me)_

'But if I had, I never would have gotten to know her…'

'If I had, I wouldn't be feeling like this.'

_Would've been better off (Every time you called me) If I'd done right by you._

'Would it have been better for me to have stayed home that day?'

'I would have been better off without knowing him.'

_I could've done this, I could've done that but I know I can't go back. (I can't go back)_

'But you cannot change the past.'

'But it's too late for regrets now.'

_Because now it's just too late. (All I know need to know is) I'm saying should've, would've, could've. (Do you love me like you used to?)_

'Did she really love me?'

'Did he ever care about me?'

_I know I should've. I know I would've. (Could've, would've, should've)_

Kagome slumped over, curled into a ball and began to cry, unknowingly transporting herself back to her apartment.

_I know I could have been a better man. I should've, would've, could've…_

Sesshoumaru turned away from the door, chalking up the brief moment where he caught her scent to memory as he flicked the wadded up piece of paper to the floor and left the room.

----

SF::holding on to Silver's tail:: That was so sad!

Silver::sighs, then shakes his head at the rest of the girls, who are crying too:: Of course it was sad! You wrote it! (cough-cough)

SF::backs up quickly:: Ew! Germs!

Silver::bops SF upside the head with his nunchaku:: Quiet, git! (cough) I'm allergic to you, you know.

SF: Whatever. Are you sure you're feeling better?

Silver: I don't know…How about a test::grabs SF and puts her in a headlock:: Yup, I must be fine.

SF: Ewwwww! Stop! You're deodorant is getting into my hair!

Silver::starts noggie torture:: Say sama!

SF::giggling:: No!!!!

Silver: Say Sama!!!

SF: Never, you jerk!

Kagome::still sniffing:: Gods, those two are silly. The preview to the next chapter, is below.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Inuyasha's Might Makes Right

A call to a friend begins the healing cycle, and how predictable are older brothers anyway?


	36. Inuyasha's Might Makes Right

SF: So sorry about the shortness of this chapter. I actually planned on a lot more stuff happening, but then I remembered that I hadn't started on Second Chance, and that that chapter was due the next day. Then I got to working on A Breaking Point…and well, things went to pot. Don't worry, because the next chapter promises to be longer, no matter what. And the next chapter is the next to last chapter! Yayness!! Oh, and see the little note attached to this for a special announcement!

Chapter Thirty-Six: Inuyasha's Might Makes Right

*10:23 PM Paris, France*

Inuyasha sat on the edge of the bed, thinking to himself as Katrina brushed her hair in the vanity mirror. 'Life's never been better,' he mused happily. 'I'm mated, I'm taking some well needed time off from the company, my brother's mated…'

'Actually,' Inuyasha pondered a moment, his brow furrowed slightly. 'I haven't heard anything about Sesshoumaru and Kagome. But I know he wouldn't let her get away. He loves her too much for that, even if he does try to deny it.'

He flopped backward onto the bed, his brow still creased as he closed his eyes. 'Still, I can't help but wonder about them. I'll just have to call them tomorrow.'

He listened as Katrina stood up and walked toward him, her footsteps stopping at his side. 'The only thing I'm unhappy about it my mate's new hairstyle, though…' Inuyasha opened his eyes, not entirely surprised to find Katrina's face so close to his. 'There is still enough for me to do this.' His hand shot toward the back of her neck, grabbed a fist full of Katrina's dark, shoulder-length tresses and jerked her head down for a quick kiss.

"Inuyasha!" she squeaked angrily, then giggled when he kissed her nose. "That hurts!"

"But you like it rough…don't you?"

"For the love of…" Katrina shook her head, then kissed his forehead and scratched behind one of his ears. The ear shifted instantly, Inuyasha's sealing spell disappearing the second he began to purr. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Um, give me lots of pups and learn how to cook? Because you can't now," Inuyasha replied helpfully. Katrina rolled her eyes, then moved on the bed to sit beside him.

"I don't appreciate the 'barefoot, pregnant and standing in front of a stove' bit. I think I'll fry you instead," she warned, turning her back on him and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You wouldn't do a thing like that," he pouted.

"Really? Why wouldn't I?"

Inuyasha sat up, wrapped his arms around her waist and puller her closer to him. "Because I love you, and you love me."

"Maybe…"

"Maybe huh?" Inuyasha growled moments before he tickled her side. "Is it still a maybe?"

"Inuy-(gasp) stop!" Katrina giggled, desperately trying to wiggle free of him as he pinned her to the bed by her shoulder and tickled her with his free hand.

"Is is still a maybe?"

"No! (wheeze) I love you (giggle) now stop!"

"That's what I thought." Inuyasha sat her up instantly, grinning innocently at her accusing glare. "What's wrong?'

"Did you have to do that?"

"Of course I-"

He paused as his cell phone rang, Bubba Sparkxx's 'Deliverance' effectively ruining the playful mood.

"I thought you turned that off," Katrina scolded as Inuyasha reached toward the nightstand.

"Me too. Hello?" He jerked from the phone moments later, taking a moment to rub his abused ear as a female's angry screams filtered into the room from the other end.

"Wait a minute! You've got to calm down!" Inuyasha waited until the yelling stopped to try again. "Look, I can't talk to you if you're screaming like that. Just calm down."

"Who is it?" Katrina mouthed. Inuyasha shrugged, then asked "Now, who's this?" His face lit up instantly, and a sunny smile spread across his face. "Hey Sango! How's Mir-" He winced as the yelling began anew, but this time a tad lower due to Katrina reaching over and turning down the volume. Inuyasha nodded through some of it, but for the most part wore the same confused expression he had when the yelling began.

"I know you're pissed Sango, but you've got to calm down! I don't understand a thing you're saying! Start over." He relaxed when she did start over, this time low enough for him to understand without permanently damaging his eardrums. He paled suddenly, his back becoming board straight as Katrina looked on.

"You know? Who told you? … Yeah, well-oh! For real? Thanks! Now what does this have to do with Fluffy-Kins-" Inuyasha fell silent, ignoring Katrina's 'gentle' prodding for information.

"Yeah, I knew about the transmission thing." His eyes narrowed suddenly, and a low growl rumbled from his throat. "You don't say," he drawled dangerously, seeming to see through Katrina as a grimace marred his features. "Don't worry about it Sango. I'm going to fix it. Yeah, I'll call you on the way there. Bye."

He hung up, then glanced at Katrina before running his hands down the length of his face. "What is it Inuyasha?" Katrina asked, pulling him into a gentle hug. "What did Sango say?"

"That my brother's a dumbass," Inuyasha muttered into her nightgown. "And that he's ruined his first and only chance at happiness."

"What happened? And does it have anything to do with Kagome?"

Inuyasha sighed deeply, then crawled off the bed and reached underneath it for his suitcase. "I have to go. I have to help him."

"Of course," Katrina said, reaching underneath the bed for her luggage as Inuyasha began to pack his.

"Oh no you don't," Inuyasha replied as he picked her up and tossed her back onto the bed. "You're staying right here."

"But-"

"I'm coming back as soon as possible. You just stay here and wait until I get back. Here," he reached inside his wallet and tossed her one of his credit cards. "Buy something nice. Have it on when I get back."

"What makes you think that I just won't wear the card?" Katrina retorted smugly, then pressed a quick, teasing kiss to his lips.

Inuyasha growled softly, then kissed her back. "Please don't make this harder than it already is."

"I thought they didn't get any harder than that."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, his sealing spell slipping back into place as he pecked her forehead. "Bad girl."

"Bad doggie."

"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha opened the door to leave, only to stop when Katrina said

"If Sango's right about Kagome being hurt, then Sesshoumaru may be too. No 'I told you so's, alright mister?"

"Yes dear," Inuyasha grumbled and closed the door behind him, muttering something along the lines of "Damned falcons and their hearing…"

*3:23 AM, Somewhere between Paris and Boston*

Inuyasha gazed out the side window of the plane, his chin in his hand and his thoughts a million miles away. 'I knew I should have stuck around,' he scolded himself. 'I should have known that he would somehow screw himself over. Why didn't I stay to make sure things went the way they should? Maybe I should call Rin…'

Inuyasha picked up his cell and pushed Rin's assigned number, waiting patiently for her to pick up. Her hushed, agitated tone answered after a few rings, her voice tighter than normal.

"Hey Rin! Are you ok?"

"No! I'm not!" She sighed then, and Inuyasha could feel the hairs on the back of his neck start to rise.

"Rin? What is it?"

"Believe it or not, it's Sesshoumaru-sama."

Inuyasha blinked, then his brow furrowed. "What do you mea-" He paused at a growl in the background. "Is that Sesshoumaru?"

"Yeah, he's been like that for the past couple of months. He's scary like this."

Inuyasha frowned instantly, his displeasure evident at the fear in Rin's voice. 'Has he really snapped, to the point where even Rin's afraid of him?'

"Are you coming Uncle Yasha?" she asked hopefully. It seemed like eons since he heard her so afraid, yet so hopeful…

*

"Unkle Yasha?"

Inuyasha yawned, then rolled on his side, his snowy ears flickering insistently at the shadowed figure in his doorway. "Rin?"

"Unkle Yasha, are you awake?"

"Yeah kiddo." Inuyasha yawned as he sat up, then raised his hand to shield his eyes from the brightness of the hallway light outside. "What's the matter?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama's not here, and I…" she sniffed a little, and traces of her fear and sweat filtered into the room.

"You had a nightmare?" Inuyasha offered, his reward being Rin's shadowed nod. "Well, come here and sit down."

"I'm sorry Unkle Yasha," Rin whispered as she hoisted herself onto the taller bed. "I know I'm supposed to be a big girl but-"

"I used to have nightmares too Rin."

Big round brown eyes stared up at him in wonder; as if she thought that nothing could scare him or her Sesshoumaru-sama. "Really?"

Inuyasha nodded solemnly, his golden eyes lightening briefly on the top of her head before settling to the outside window. "Yeah. I had them all the time when I was your age. As a matter of fact, I still do."

"About Auntie Kikyou…"

Inuyasha sighed again, this one tinged with sadness, longing and regret. "Yeah, about Kikyou…"

"Well, I know what could make us feel better?"

"Yeah?" Inuyasha asked skeptically, hiding his amusement rather well. "What's that?"

"Ice cream!"

"What?" Inuyasha stammered as Rin grabbed his hand and practically dragged the older, and infinitely stronger, youkai out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Ice cream," Rin repeated simply. "I want ice cream. It makes me feel better. It'll make you feel better too."

"But it's 1:15 in the morning."

Rin stopped midway down the steps to smile back at him, her smile bright and sunny despite the gap from her missing tooth. "That's when it's the best."

"I think you should be in bed," Inuyasha reprimanded as he turned on the kitchen light. "Sesshoumaru would be really mad if he found out you were still awake…"

"But Unkle Yasha!" Rin whined before insistently tugging on his clawed hand. "Sesshoumaru-sama's away! You won't tell him...will you? Please?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, then shook his head. "No, I guess I won't. Besides, I wanted some ice cream anyway. You get the spoons and I'll get the rest of the stuff."

*

"Uncle Yasha?"

Inuyasha blinked, Rin's voice abruptly bringing him out of his stroll down memory lane. "Yeah Rin. I'm on my way."

*1:23 PM, The Emerald City*

Sesshoumaru stared out the window to the city around him, his mind wandering for the hundredth time today. 'Why can't I just forget about her?' He sat down at his desk and began to type, trying to focus on his work. 'I need to forget her…………but I can't!'

He snarled, viciously sweeping his hand across his desk. Papers flew everywhere, scattering around him as he ran his hands through his hair. "I just can't…"

Knock-Knock!

"Go away," Sesshoumaru growled. "I'm not to be disturbed."

.Knock-Knock!

"I said go away."

Knock Knock-knock Knock Knock. Knock Knock.

'Ink in a bottle?' Sesshoumaru sighed. "Come in Inuyasha."

The door opened and Inuyasha stepped in, a wide smile on his face. "How are ya Fluffy-Bottom?" He glanced at the mess on the floor. "What's with this?"

"None of your business. What do you want? I thought you were still in Paris."

"Oh, I was," Inuyasha replied. He leaned against Sesshoumaru's desk leisurely, shirking off his sealing spell as he stared at him. "But I got the weirdest call last night."

"Really?" grumbled Sesshoumaru absently as he began to ignore him.

"Yeah. It was some hysterical female, at 11:00, screaming about some injustice done to her friend. You wouldn't happen to know what I'm talking about, do you?"

"I assure you I don't."

"Oh." Inuyasha nodded. "I thought so. Hey, how's Kagome doing?"

Sesshoumaru visibly stiffened, and his scent changed slightly. "I don't know. We no longer speak."

"Really?" Inuyasha said suspiciously. Sesshoumaru looked up at him as Inuyasha sighed. "That's a shame. You two were perfect together. Why don't you two speak anymore?"

"I don't know."

"Hmmm…" Inuyasha leaned closer to Sesshoumaru, bracing his hands on the desk for support. "It wouldn't happen to do with you locking her in your bedroom for 8 hours, would it?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, then narrowed. "How do you-"

"How I know isn't important," Inuyasha interrupted quickly. "But what I know is. I'm a little confused thought. You see, I thought I was supposed to be the stupid one."

"What?" Sesshoumaru faltered in confusion.

Inuyasha sighed irritably, obviously perturbed at having to explain himself. "I'm supposed to be the dumb one. You know, the one making the stupid decisions and you're the one that's supposed to run to my aid and give me advice. Looks like the tables have turned."

"I don't need your advice hanyou," Sesshoumaru replied frigidly, resolving once again to ignore Inuyasha. He swiveled back to his keyboard as Inuyasha glared at him.

"Of course you need my advice. I gave it to you last time, but it seems like you didn't take it. That's why things are the way they are."

"They are this way because she left me!" Sesshoumaru growled threateningly, his tone demanding that Inuyasha drop the subject. Inuyasha brushed this off, and glared right back.

"Do you really blame her? You were an ass! I _told you_ that idea wouldn't work. But did you listen? Noooooooooo….."

"I don't need your 'I told you so's either," Sesshoumaru shot back. "So if that's what you came to do-"

"Nope, that's not what I came to do to be honest," Inuyasha interrupted yet again. "Katrina would have a fit if she knew I just said that. But I'm here to help you."

"Again, I don't need your help. She made her choice, and I've made mine."

Inuyasha sighed again. "And that's why you need my help. Look at you Fluffy. You never were the nicest person in the world, but now you're just this nasty tyrant. Everyone here is scared of you now, including Rin. Did you know that?"

"No," Sesshoumaru admitted. "I didn't…Rin too?"

Inuyasha nodded. "You've growled and snapped at everybody! Humans and youkai alike are afraid they'll lose their job or their lives around you, and it's all because of her! You've got to apologize to her!"

Sesshoumaru gave a bitter laugh, leaning back in his chair despondently. "I will not apologize to her. She should apologize to me."

Inuyasha balked, his fist balling at his side as he shook his head in disbelief. "Do you hear yourself?" he yelled. "Do you hear how you sound? This is your fault, you stubborn ass or did you forget?"

"I don't-"

"Shut up and listen to me for once, will you?!" Inuyasha snarled, his eyes glowing golden in his intensity. Sesshoumaru growled back, but Inuyasha's growl only became louder. "It's not a bad thing to have emotions, idiot! It's not a bad thing to miss her! And it's not a bad thing to apologize!"

"I am _not_ apologizing to a worthless human!" Sesshoumaru snarled, his eyes bleeding red.

"Is that what you're telling yourself? That she means nothing to you? I was right, you _are_ stupid!"

He dodged Sesshoumaru's attack, moving from in front of the desk to the door beside the break room in a flash. He jumped to Sesshoumaru's desk as the taiyoukai leapt to strike him.

"You're pride is hurting you! Can't you see that? If anything, you're pride's already hurt her!"

"What do you mean?" Sesshoumaru asked, stopping mid-swipe.

"You haven't seen her since she left you, have you?" Inuyasha asked softly, stepping down from Sesshoumaru's desk. "She's changed. She's not what she used to be."

Inuyasha warily watched Sesshoumaru as he sat back at his desk, Sesshoumaru's eyes downcast and heavy.

"She barely eats, she barely sleeps. She hasn't truly smiled in so long, her friends have forgotten what it looks like. Everything that was good and gentle, kind and energetic about her is gone and it's your fault."

Sesshoumaru swept a hand through his hair as Inuyasha sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "You've got to try to fix this. If not for you, then for her. You're taiyoukai honor should at least not want her to suffer."

"There is nothing I can do," Sesshoumaru argued.

"You only say that because you're afraid," Inuyasha countered, ignoring Sesshoumaru's glare. "You are and you should be. You realize now that in her hands is your happiness, and you don't know what to do if she refuses you. But you owe it to her to try. You owe it to yourself to try."

Inuyasha stood, glanced at the papers still on the floor, and shook his head. "I tell you what. I'm going back to Paris tonight. If I were you, I'd get on a plane and get myself to the ATL."

Inuyasha walked to the door, his sealing spell glimmering into effect around him. He stopped at the doorknob, seeming to debate something within himself before turning to Sesshoumaru. "It'll be hard; I never said that it wouldn't be. But sometimes it's worth it to put our pride aside, forget what others will think of us, and do what's in our hearts."

He smiled back at Sesshoumaru, a truly brotherly one as his sealing spell erased the last of the white in his hair. "I'm with you Aniki. No matter what you do."

Inuyasha opened the door, and with one last look back, left the office and shut the door. Sesshoumaru stared at it, Inuyasha's words replaying in his mind. 'Why must the hanyou be the wise one?' Sesshoumaru wondered sardonically as he picked up his keys and left the office.

"I'm leaving," he told CiCi, walking past her desk to the elevator. He pushed the button for the elevator, watching the lights approach as he questioned his actions. 'Why am I doing this? Is Inuyasha right?' Sesshoumaru mentally shook himself. 'Forget Inuyasha and what he thinks. I can't be that easy to read…'

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as the elevator stopped at his floor. "Or am I?"

The doors opened, and Inuyasha stood on the other side, clicking his claws against the control buttons as he leaned against the glass wall. "What took you so damned long?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but stepped into the elevator as Inuyasha pushed the button for the lobby floor.

----

SF: Yay!

Sango: It's about bleeding time!

Silver Fox: {::grumbles something rude, then goes to the fridge with Sesshou trailing behind him::}

SF: I'm so proud of you Inu-chan! {::glomp::}

Kagome: Yeah! You're so smart in this one! {::glomp::}

Sango: And sweet too! {::glomp::}

Inu-chan: {::trying to shake SF, Sango, and Kagome off him::} Aww, come on! You guys are killing me!

Trunks: {::digging around in the fridge too::} Feel the love, Inuyasha. Feel the love.

Inu-chan: Right now, I can't feel my ribs. And one of you stinks!

SF/Kagome/Sango: {::jump away from Inu-chan::} WHAT!!!!!!

Inu-chan: Yeah, one of you smells like old blood. Ew!

Kagome: {::starts to cry, then runs offstage::}

Sango: Kagome! {::runs off behind her::}

SF: Great going Inu-chan.

Inu-chan: What? I can't help that she smells!

Zap!

SF: {::glaring down at smoky Inu-chan::} You are a jerk. Never forget that. {::walks off behind Sango and Kagome::}

Inu-chan: {::scratching a smoking ear::} What did I do?

Silver Fox: {::glaring at Sesshou::} You didn't teach him the birds and the bees, did you?

Sesshou: What Inuyasha knows is not my problem, kitsune. If you are so concerned, then you teach him.

Trunks: I'm up for it.

Silver Fox: I guess I am too. Well, we're going to explain some things to Inuyasha. The preview, recommendation and the review responses are below. Hey Inuyasha! We need to talk!

Chapter Thirty-Six: Is Happiness All It's Cracked Up to Be?

Is it possible to forgive, forget, love and loose at the same time?

RECOMMENDATION: I actually don't have a recommendation for this week. If anyone has a story that they really like, but don't think I know about, please let me know in the reviews. Thanks!

Responses:


	37. Moonlight and the Darkness that Clouds Y...

SF: So sorry about how late this chapter is. I had a lot of work to do in the real world. I actually got to make a centerpiece for a tea party! It was so cute! I made a Japanese tea set out of white and dark chocolate! I'm so proud…but I digress. I still shouldn't have been late. I'll try really hard not to let it happen again.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Moonlight and the Darkness that Clouds You're Eyes

"My stars," the elderly Chinese man behind the general store counter said pleasantly as Kagome set her purchases on the counter. "If it isn't Ms. Higurashi. How are you?" He picked up a can of cat food, eyeing it with a smile before ringing it up with the rest of her things. "And how's Buyu?'

"In desperate need of a diet," Kagome answered with a weak smile. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand, then used a nearby flier for a fan.

"Amazing weather we're having, isn't it?" the gentleman commented. Kagome nodded. "Yeah. That's one way of putting it." Kagome paid for her things, then picked up the large brown paper bag and made her way out of the store. "Thanks a lot Mr. Chen."

"Not a problem Ms. Higurashi," he called. "Be sure to come again."

Kagome nodded in acknowledgement and finally exited the store, pausing a moment in the entrance threshold to allow her eyes to adjust to the blaring sunlight. 'One thing about Atlanta,' Kagome said to herself as she began walking the block back to her apartment building. 'April here feels like June somewhere else.' She walked down the sidewalk, trying in vain to ignore the way her sweat-soaked johnny collar T-shirt stuck to her back. Her denim shorts seemed to be her only comfortable choice for the day. Even her white tennis shoes felt heavy and hot, and her hair stuck to her face and neck in spite of the messy ponytail she pulled it into earlier this morning.

She waved to passing neighbors and street vendors she knew with a sad smile. 'I wish I were at work,' Kagome mused miserably. 'It's only been three days, but watching Buyu chase the dust bunnies is wearing on my nerves. Plus it's giving me entirely too much time to think about-' She stopped and shook her head clear, oblivious of the odd glances tossed at her by the strangers that shared the street with her.

'No,' Kagome said to herself. 'I won't give him another thought. It's been four months already, and he made how he felt perfectly clear. I just need to get over him, that's all.' Kagome smiled hopefully, the slight drag in her step fading slightly. 'Yes, I just need to get over him. I'm stronger than I think I am!'

She grinned as she opened her apartment building door, moving through the lobby and past the elevator toward the doorway to the stairs. She shoved it open and began to climb, using both the time and the exercise to fortify her resolve. By the time Kagome reached the twelfth floor; the very top of the building and her home floor, she had formed a reasonable plan.

'Yes, I'll just do everything I can to avoid thinking about him,' Kagome said as she stepped on the last stair. 'I'll hike, I'll skate, I'll take Buyu to the park-No. I don't think I'll do that,' Kagome thought with a giggle, laughing at the image of the enormous feline lounging on a park bench as the dogs barked around him. 'But I will do the rest. I won't shed another tear over him! Ha! Take that Depression!'

Kagome knocked on the door directly across from the stairs, waiting patiently for the occupant to answer as she looked around the hall. The apartment to the left of the stairs belonged to her, and the apartment on the right belonged to another neighbor.

'I'm so glad he's not here right now.' Kagome groaned with a shake of her head.

The door opened behind her, an elderly lady with white hair and thick glasses hanging off the tip of her nose emerging from the confinements of the condo. She squinted at Kagome a minute, then smiled in recognition. "Hello Kagome my dear," she greeted fondly, reaching over and patting Kagome's free hand. "How was the shopping trip?"

"It was fine Mrs. Petrouski," Kagome answered. "How's Buyu?" Said cat came out from behind Mrs. Petrouski seconds later, giving a 'meow' in greeting before rubbing himself against Kagome's leg. "There you are you little furball. Did you give Mrs. Petrouski any trouble?"

"Oh, he was no trouble dear," Mrs. Petrouski assured her. "Buyu is a good little kitty. He and I had a little bratwurst while you were gone."

"Really?" Kagome said apprehensively. "Is that good for cats?"

"Of course it is," Mrs. Petrouski assured her. "My babies, Oscar and Terry, love sausages."

'Yeah,' Kagome thought as she kneeled down to pet her persistent feline. 'And if I remember correctly, those two can barely move around. She does mean well though.' "Thanks for watching him," Kagome said before turning to her apartment door.

"You're very welcome," Mrs. Petrouski called. "Be sure to bring that precious kitten over anytime. My grandchildren just love him."

"That's great," Kagome said as she fished her keys out of her pocket and unlocked her door. "I'll be sure to bring him over the next time they visit."

"They'd love that," Mrs. Petrouski responded. "They call him an orange walking pillow."

Kagome stopped while Mrs. Petrouski retreated to her home, the lady's words repeating in her mind over and over again before she finally opened her door and walked inside. "Man Buyu," she said as she locked her door and set the bag on a nearby kitchen counter. "that's bad. You're definitely going on a diet."

"Meow," Buyu remarked mournfully. He purred when Kagome finally picked him up, hefting the large cat off the floor and cradling him to her chest.

"Yeah yeah," Kagome giggled when he licked her cheek. "That's not going to change my mind, you sweet talker." She put him down, then washed her hands and put up the contents of the bag. She then dumped a can of cat food into Buyu's bowl and retreated to the living room.

'Well, I guess I can start tomorrow,' Kagome sighed as she flipped on the TV. "That's for you too Buyu," Kagome tossed over her shoulder as Buyu attacked his bowl. "You start your diet tomorrow."

Kagome glanced at her watch hours later, surprised at how slow the time seemed to be going. 'It's only 8:00,' she thought, then stood up and stretched lazily. Buyu, who was curled up at the other end of the couch, opened one sleepy eye and closed it again before falling back to sleep. Kagome giggled softly and scratched beneath his chin. 'Silly ca-'

>Knock-Knock! 

Kagome froze instantly, panic gripping her heart in a vice-like embrace. 'No,' Kagome shook her head viciously, then slowly walked toward the door. "It's not him and you know it," she told herself as she neared her door. "It's been this long, and he hasn't showed up. Just breathe and stop panicking. It might Mrs. Petrouski. It might be-" Kagome stood on her toes and peered out the door, then groaned softly and slapping her palm against her forehead.

"Jason. Great. Just what I need."

Kagome opened the door and leaned against the frame, watching as a young man about her age turned around and grinned at her. He ran a sure hand through his short, spiky black hair, his dark eyes twinkling at the sight of her. "Hey Kagome."

"Hi Jason," Kagome answered politely, her arms folding over her chest. "What's going on?"

"I got some tickets from the job to see 'Dawn of the Dead'," he answered, presenting the tickets to Kagome for proof. "and I don't have anyone to go with. I was wondering if you would."

"Oh, wow Jason," Kagome said softly. "Thanks for thinking of me, but I can't."

"Sure," Jason muttered, deflating instantly. "I understand."

"I'm really sorry," Kagome offered gently. "It's just that, with the way I work, things tend to back up around here and I really have a lot to do."

"Yeah," Jason chirped. "I understand. You work really hard. Maybe," he said hopefully. "we could try again another time?"

"Yeah Jason," Kagome said before stepping back inside. "Maybe later. Thanks again."

"Sure Kagome," Jason called as she closed the door. Kagome shook her head on the other side, leaning against the trusty painted pine before sighing and glancing out the window. 'It might have been nice to see a movie with him,' Kagome thought to herself as she watched the darkening sky. She smiled sadly, then retreated to her kitchen and rummaged through her refrigerator.

'But I'm not ready for that yet,' Kagome convinced herself as she dug around the vegetable tray. 'I don't want to hurt someone else because of that jerk-'

>Knock-Knock! 

>Bam! 

"Ow!" Kagome cried out, swiftly backing out of the refrigerator while rubbing the back of her head. "Now who is it?" she mumbled to herself as she once again walked down the hallway to the door. She stood up on her tiptoes and peered out the peephole, but saw nothing but white.

'That has to be Mrs. Petrouski,' Kagome said as she began unlocking the door. "Is everything alright Mrs-"

Kagome froze, her hand still holding the doorknob as Sesshoumaru stared back at her. They stood this way for a moment, then Kagome's eyes narrowed angrily.

"Kagome, I-"

"What do _you_ want?" Kagome hissed, her hand tightening on the door. Sesshoumaru seemed to sigh, his hands retreating to the pockets of his black trench coat.

"I want to talk," he replied matter-of-factly, as if he were asking the time of day. Kagome snorted indignantly. "To who?" she asked innocently. "To me? What for? You've said all you had to say."

"Kagome, I honestly want to talk to you. That's all."

"Sure," Kagome nodded. "I'm sure you want to talk. Well, I don't want to, so you can just leave."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed this time, his irritation flashing on his face before melting away. "Look Kagome. I'm not leaving until I talk to you."

"Hn," Kagome said more to herself. "You won't huh?" Kagome slammed the door in his face, her hands trembling as she listened to the quiet around her. Buyu meowed from his spot on the couch, then hopped down and sauntered down the hallway. He wound himself around Kagome's ankles as she attempted to stop shaking. They both jumped when the banging started, the poor door shaking under the abuse.

"Let me in Kagome!" Sesshoumaru demanded from the hallway. Kagome shook her head, then mentally smacked herself for it. 'Duh girl! It's not like he can see it.'

"Go away Sesshoumaru," she called back. "I'm not opening the door, and you're not coming in!"

>Bam-Bam! 

Buyu yowled in fright, retreating from the hallway back to the living room to hide beneath the pillows. Kagome frowned as she watched him, then scowled angrily at the door. "Stop that!" she yelled. "You're scaring my cat!"

"Don't make me break this door down!" Sesshoumaru warned. "Just open the door so I can talk to you!"

'He just might do it,' Kagome said to herself, her mind already figuring out a way to stop him from doing so. She grabbed a pen and a Post-It pad off the hallway table, scribbled something onto it and leaned against the door with her eyes closed. She chanted something under her breath then watched with her mind's eye as the door began to glow a faint pink.

Kagome opened her eyes and slapped the make-shift ofuda to the door. 'Ha! Take that you son of a-'

She fell to the floor as something heavy struck the door, bowing it like a rubber band before it snapped in place. Kagome scuttled backward on all fours down the other side of the hallway, then stood up and ran to her bedroom. She dropped to her knees beside her bed, opened one of the drawers in the frame of her sleigh bed and fished out a metal safe. Kagome removed the ofuda from it and unlocked it before reaching inside and pulling the Shikon no Tama from it's confinements.

'This should make the spell stronger,' Kagome thought to herself while she tossed the safe back to its drawer and ran back to the hallway. She stood in front of the door seconds later, her hands glowing a brilliant white as she struggled to adjust the writing on the ofuda. Sesshoumaru's pounding never ceased, causing some of the writing to be a tad messy, but still effective. Kagome watched as the door settled on itself, this time fully absorbing Sesshoumaru's blows instead of bowing beneath them.

"Kagome!" he snarled after a few moments. "Open. This. Door."

"No!" Kagome yelled back, then winced when the beating began anew. 'Gods, the landlord's gonna be pissed.'

"I'm not leaving-"

"Then don't!" Kagome snapped, her fists balling at her sides. "Stay out there then! I don't care, but I'm not opening that **door**!!!!"

Kagome held her breath as everything suddenly stopped from the other side, her hands clasped together as if in prayer. She bit her lower lip anxiously, her fingertips pressed against it as she stood quietly and waited.

"Very well then," Sesshoumaru said after a period of time. "I will wait."

"Wait then, damn it," Kagome grumbled under her breath as Sesshoumaru's footsteps faded. "I'm not opening that door. You're not going to get in here."

She limped away from the door, vaguely aware of the slight pain in her leg as she slowly left her living room. She entered her dark bedroom and sank into her bed almost instantly, remembering to toss off her shoes and socks before curling into a ball. 'Why is he here?' she asked herself as the first of many tears began to fall.

'Why is he doing this?' She touched the outside of her thigh, wincing when her fingers brushed against what she knew would be a bruise in the morning. Kagome thought a moment to heal it, then decided against it.

'I might need all the strength I have, just in case,' she said to herself. 'He might wait me out and try again later on tonight. I won't be caught off guard.' She fisted her hand around the Shikon, ignoring the faint pink glow in her hands as she started to cry.

'Just when I think I'm over you, I feel this pain all over again,' Kagome sniffed. "Why are you here?" she asked aloud. "And why won't you leave me alone?"

>Ring-Ring! 

Kagome opened her eyes, then winced at the yucky feeling in the back of her throat. 'Well, crying all night will do that to you,' Kagome quipped sardonically, then groaned when the telephone rang again.

"Yeah yeah," Kagome croaked hoarsely. She rubbed her throat, then wiped her eyes before answering the phone. "Hello?"

She struggled to a sitting position, then propped her elbow on her knee and cradled her head in her hands. "No Mrs. Petrouski," Kagome groaned as she glanced at her alarm. '5:03. Jeez, how long was I asleep?'

"Say that again," she replied before she stood up, entered her bathroom and started the shower. "I missed it." She nodded throughout Mrs. Petrouski's explanation as she stepped out of her mussed clothes. "You don't say? Do they look dangerous?" Kagome scratched her head a second later.

"They're asleep? On the stairs? Are you sure?" Kagome nodded again, mentally cursing her luck. "No Mrs. Petrouski. I'll be sure to check it out as soon as possible. No, you're not a problem. It's what I'm here for. I'll take care of it."

Kagome hung up the phone, resting it on the bathroom counter before stepping into the shower. She reveled in the feeling of the warm water washing over her, Kagome feeling as if it washed her troubles away as well. 'Today is another day,' Kagome said as she began her early morning pep talk.

'There are no taiyoukai standing outside waiting to pounce on you, there are no bad men with guns waiting to shoot your head off. Today is just a regular day, and you have to deal with a prowler. It's probably some homeless guy using the stairs as his bed for the night. No problem.' Kagome stepped out of the shower, turning off the water before drying off. She wrapped the damp towel around her torso and left the bathroom, going straight to her closet for something to wear.

She slipped on a lavender short-sleeved blouse and a white mini skirt Sango gave her for her birthday, then toppled over when she tried to tie on her sandals. 'Oh crap,' she muttered to herself. 'Another bruise to add to the collection.'

Kagome opened her apartment door, pausing to take her gun with her. She pressed her back against the wall and slowly slid along it before glancing at Mrs. Petrouski's door. 'It's a good thing she's not out here,' Kagome thought with a sigh of relief. 'She tends to be a little…busy. Now let's see what her problem is.'

She peered around the corner to the steps, her mouth falling open in shock soon after.

"No way…"

She clamped her hand over her mouth instantly, freezing in place as she watched for any sign of movement. 'He's still asleep,' Kagome realized soon after. She crept closer, tip-toeing over to him before kneeling beside him.

Sesshoumaru slept on unawares, his head lulled to the side and his back pressed firmly against the wall behind him. His right leg lay straight across the landing, while the left was slumped along the step below.

Kagome sighed and shook her head. "You're more trouble than you let on, you know that?" Kagome whispered softly. She looked him over, noticing for the first time the dark circles beneath his eyes. 'What are you going sleepless about?' Kagome thought sarcastically, her brow frowning as she fought back the compassion welling within her. 'He doesn't deserve compassion Kagome,' she scolded herself, then winced when Sesshoumaru slumped into what had to be a painful position, groaning a little as he did so. Kagome shook her head again, then grunted softly.

"It's not like you're hurting over anything," she whispered. She turned at the sound of a click moments later, then smiled at Mrs. Petrouski's worried face.

"Is she alright Kagome dear?" Mrs. Petrouski asked softly, then frowned when Kagome covered her mouth. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Kagome responded. "Um, how long has 'she' been out here?"

"All night, I suppose. The poor dear. Her boyfriend must have put her out."

Kagome turned away quickly, biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud. "I suppose so, Mrs. Petrouski."

"What are you going to do about her?" Mrs. Petrouski asked. Kagome calmed herself, then shrugged. "I guess I'll wake her up and ask her what happened. I have everything under control."

"Alright then dear. Tell her she can always stop by my house and get something to eat if she wants." Kagome watched as Mrs. Petrouski went back inside, then hunched over and laughed silently, her slight sniffs and snorts muffled by her hand.

"I am glad you enjoyed that."

Kagome stopped laughing instantly, her gaze timid and frightened as frigid hazel eyes stared back at her.

"I am going to kill the old woman."

Kagome jumped up, her gun pointed and ready as Sesshoumaru stretched. "I see you've come out," he said more to himself than to her. He stood up and brushed at his clothes, then glanced at Mrs. Petrouski's door.

"Why are you still here Sesshoumaru?" Kagome whispered fiercely. "Didn't I tell you that I didn't want to talk to you?"

"Yes, you did," Sesshoumaru replied, then shoved a stray hair behind his ear. "And I said that I would not leave without talking to you. Now you can either talk to me," he glanced from her to Mrs. Petrouski's door and back again. "Or I can talk to **her**."

Kagome went still, her lips pursed together thoughtfully before lowering her gun. "You've got three seconds."

"Not here," Sesshoumaru said with a shake of his head. "Somewhere else."

"Fine," Kagome exhaled in annoyance. "Follow me." She led him back to her apartment, glancing behind her once to make sure he followed before stepping inside.

"Now what do you want Sesshou-Hey! What are you doing?" Kagome exclaimed when Sesshoumaru closed the door behind him, ripped the ofuda and leaned against the door. "Answer me! What do you think you're doing?!"

"I want you to listen Kagome," Sesshoumaru said softly, brushing aside her question as her hands began to glow. "Will you do that? Are you going to listen to me?"

"Stop repeating yourself," Kagome growled before taking a step back and away from him. "Say what you have to say so you can leave."

Sesshoumaru nodded, then took a step toward her. "Kagome-"

"Stop right there!" Kagome interrupted. "Don't move any closer!"

"I'm sorry," he forged ahead, each step forward matched when Kagome stepped backward.

"I know I hurt you-"

Kagome stepped back again, and again Sesshoumaru stepped forward.

"and I know you probably hate me right now-"

Kagome gasped when her back touched the wall, momentarily glancing behind her before turning to him. "Sesshoumaru, stop right there," she warned. She placed her hands between them, her eyes widening when he continued to advance on her. "Sesshoumaru, please," she shivered, a single tear streaking down her cheek. "Don't make me hurt you."

Sesshoumaru continued not to hear her, taking a last step forward before reaching out to touch her face. "Kagome, I'm-"

Kagome jumped when his fingertips touched her cheek and instinctively went into the offensive. White ki shot from her hands and into his chest, shooting him back and throwing him into the front door with a

>Wham! 

Kagome watched in wide eyed shock as Sesshoumaru slid down the door to the floor, his legs collapsing underneath him before he finally fell. "Oh God," she muttered when he went still. "Sesshoumaru?"

A thin curl of smoke trailed from a blackened smudge on the front of his shirt, but whether that smudge was on his shirt or his chest Kagome couldn't tell. She approached him cautiously, stopping within an inch of his outstretched foot before kneeling down and peering into his face. To her surprise, his eyes were open, the dark hazel trained to the floor beneath him. "Sesshoumaru," Kagome murmured softly, reaching out to touch his foot. "Are you…ok?"

"I deserved that," Sesshoumaru coughed, then reached up and rubbed the burn mark on his chest. "Even if it did hurt like hell."

"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru," Kagome apologized quickly. "I…you scared me and, well… I told you not to and-"

"It's alright Kagome," he said as he looked up at her. Kagome started, watching as hazel shifted to medium brown under her watch. 'What's happening to him?' Kagome wondered as she noticed the rest of him. His face seemed grayed, and his hair wasn't as shiny as she remembered. Sesshoumaru seemed tired, weary and

Old…

"What's happening to you?" Kagome gasped softly, then shook her head. "No," she whispered softly before bringing a hand to her forehead. "You're not going to make me feel guilty. **You** hurt **me**, remember? So whatever illusion this is, stop it right now!"

"What illusion?" Sesshoumaru asked while his eyes darkened again, this time to a chocolate brown. "What are you talking about?"

"You! You're doing something! How dare you try to make me feel bad for you!" Kagome accused, then reached out and slapped him on a whim. Sesshoumaru's head jerked to the side, his hair whipping over his shoulder as a red welt appeared on his cheek.

"It's not fair!" Kagome yelled brokenly. "You can't come here and do this to me! I didn't do a thing to you, and you **_lied_** to me!!!" She slapped him again, watching as another welt appeared on the opposite cheek.

"You told me you loved me and you _didn't_!!! You used me!! You can't make me feel sorry for you!!! You're not playing fair, you jerk!" Kagome whimpered unexpectedly, unaware that Sesshoumaru had pulled her into his lap sometime after her second slap. She struggled violently when she felt his arms around her, tears streaming down her face as she resisted his embrace.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" she choked out. She continued to struggle as he held her closer to him, her fists mercilessly pounding his chest as she wept.

"I was nothing but a toy to you!!! You don't care about me, remember? Just leave me alone! _Just leave me alone!!!!!_"

Kagome collapsed in a torrent of sobs, her forehead resting at Sesshoumaru's collarbone. He caught her wrists, gently stopping the blows she tried to rain down upon him. She jerked at his grasp insistently, her struggles weakening the stronger her cries became.

Kagome was vaguely aware of them moving, her legs rising off the ground before Sesshoumaru moved them forward. She tried once again to get away from him, and once again he stopped her struggling before she could fully start. She finally gave up, figuring it to be a lost cause while Sesshoumaru moved them out of the hallway and into the living room.

She felt them sink into her couch seconds later, confusion and fear settling in instantly when Sesshoumaru moved her legs to straddle his lap. Kagome hiccupped in protest, and again she was ignored. She jumped when he hugged her closer to him, raised a hand to cradle the back of her head and began to gently rock from side to side.

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome muttered, her watery growl muffled against the folds of his trench coat. "You're supposed to be an ass, not make me feel sorry for you."

"Gomen nasai Kagome," he gently whispered in her hair. "It is my fault that you are like this."

"No shit Sherlock!" Kagome glared up at him, her starlight eyes narrowed furiously. "What was your first clue?"

Sesshoumaru glared down at her, gold shimmering across his eyes before sighing and resting his chin on the top of her head. "I suppose I deserve that too."

"You deserve a lot Sesshoumaru. You're just lucky I'm in a good mood today."

Sesshoumaru nodded vaguely. "Yes. I can see that. I am…still sorry Kagome."

Kagome sighed in defeat and reached up to dry her eyes when Sesshoumaru reached inside his jacket pocket. He handed her a bottle green silk handkerchief, then tipped her chin back while softly patting her cheeks dry.

"You're going to ruin that," Kagome sniffed, then glowered when he remained silent. "Do you even know what you're sorry for, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru paused in his work, his eyes flickering downward before gazing back at her. "I am sorry for lying to you."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that-"

"I do love you Kagome."

Kagome gasped, then shook her head and sniffed miserably. "Yeah right. I'm sure you do. You told me how much, remember?"

"That was the lie."

"Sure," Kagome replied cynically. "So if you did lie, then why? Don't tell me it was some kind of joke."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No, it was not meant to be a joke." He exhaled slowly, as if taking his time to assemble his jumbled thoughts before continuing. "From what I know of human feelings, you tend to stay with those you love. When you refused to stay with me…"

"You thought I didn't love you?" Kagome realized. "But how does that-"

"In the end, I wanted to hurt you, the way you…I was mistaken," Sesshoumaru rumbled tenderly. "I know that now."

"I'm sure you do," Kagome said with a roll of her eyes. "But why are you here? You haven't cared for four months. Why care now?"

"Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome repeated, immediately confused as to what Inuyasha had to do with it. The longer she thought, the more confused she became until…

Two and two became four…

Four and four became eight….

And eight and eight became…

"Sango…"

"I wouldn't know," Sesshoumaru admitted. "But Inuyasha warned me previously of my mistakes toward you. I ignored him, and now I wish I hadn't."

"What previous mistakes?" Kagome asked. She huffed when Sesshoumaru turned away from her before reaching up and grasping the sides of his face. She jerked him back to her, watching as his eyes darkened to a shiny black. "Tell me the truth. All of it."

Sesshoumaru nodded, his eyes closing as he waited for Kagome to release him. When she didn't, he hesitated but began. "My plan was to make you fall in love with me. When you did, I would have had a powerful weapon on my side, and a miko that couldn't harm me. It would have been a fair trade for the years of torment your ancestors have cast on me."

"I'm different from my ancestors," Kagome reminded him while fighting back another wave of tears. "Because if I wasn't, then you would not be here."

"Of that I am aware," Sesshoumaru replied. "However, Inuyasha knew something about the plan and tried to stop me. I did not see my folly until the day you…"

"The day I left?" Kagome offered helpfully, her answer Sesshoumaru's nod. "Again, why do you care?" she asked stiffly.

"Because I love-"

"Not this again!" Kagome interrupted. "How could you love me Sesshoumaru? You don't know what love is!"

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to disagree, then closed it thoughtfully. "Then tell me," he said after a moment.

"Tell you what?" Kagome spat.

"Tell me what love is. I should know it when you describe it."

"Love is," Kagome explained quickly. "Love is kindness, gentleness, **_trust_**, and selflessness."

"That is love?"

"Yes," Kagome said with a nod of her head. "It is. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever done one selfless act since Rin?"

"Explain this 'selfless act'."

Kagome sighed in annoyance, a nagging in her gut telling her that he was toying with her while another part of her disagreed. 'Why am I indulging him?' she asked herself. 'Shouldn't I just put him out now, and forget about this?'

_'Deep down_' a little voice said. _'You want this to work. You still love-'_

'Brake!' Kagome cried, then hid her snicker at the screeching sound of metal against metal in her mind. 'Great, I'm going nuts too! Well, I suppose Sesshoumaru's lap is the perfect place to. After all, it would be his fau-'

"Kagome?"

Kagome mentally shook herself and returned her attention to Sesshoumaru. "You asked a question, didn't you?" she said calmly. "OK then, a selfless act is something you do even though you won't get anything out of it. Like when you rescued Rin."

"I see…well then." Sesshoumaru clasped his hands around her head, his fingertips gently caressing her temples as Kagome began to panic.

"What are you doing?" Kagome gasped, her panic leaping to outright fear when he grasped the sides of her head. His fingertips pressed against her temples in smooth circles while he began to chant something under his breath. "Sesshoumaru, what are you-"

Kagome's world darkened around her a moment, then seemed to brighten as she found herself in different surroundings. 'Where am I?' she wondered as she looked around, then noticed something about the room that looked familiar.

'Isn't that…Mom's couch? Hey, I'm in Mom's living room? How in the world…'

'You said,' Sesshoumaru voice whispered around her. 'That love involved selflessness.'

Sesshoumaru appeared in the room, his back to her as he leaned against the threshold of the kitchen.

"Mom, be still."

Kagome approached slowly, finally coming to a stop beside Sesshoumaru before looking into the kitchen. A shadowy version of herself and her mother materialized before her, the copy of herself arguing with her mother as her mother attempted to escape her grasp.

"No Kagome. Don't worry about it."

"But I think I can fix it."

'Souta explained about your mother's nose,' Sesshoumaru said from inside Kagome's mind. They both watched as Kagome's copy began to glow a feint pink, her brow creased in concentration. 'I'd never seen anyone so determined as you were that day. So I really wasn't prepared for this…'

Kagome's copy's aura flared like a roman candle, she and her mother swallowed by her ki as the pink became brighter. "It's working Mama," Kagome whispered shakily. "Can't you feel it? It's working…"

But as soon as it started it stopped, the ki slowly fading into nonexistence. Tears welled in Kagome's eyes, as did her copy's as her copy opened her eyes. "Mama, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Mrs. Higurashi whispered, fiercely hugging her as Kagome's fingers refused to relinquish their hold on her nose. "It's alright. It's not that bad."

"But it's my fault. If only I were stronger." She sobbed brokenly. Sesshoumaru froze beside the real Kagome, and she could somehow feel the shock that came from him.

'This was the second time you'd ever cried in front of me, but this was different. You seemed crushed, and it…bothered me. It hurt. All I wanted was to see you smile again.'

Sesshoumaru glanced around him, making sure that Kagome's grandfather and brother were distracted before releasing a tiny golden thread of youki. It weaved itself into Kagome's ki and Kagome watched for the first time as her copy's eyes flashed golden before the combined ki exploded around them.

Kagome blinked, then blinked again when black eyes stared into her own. "Sesshoumaru?"

"At the time," Sesshoumaru replied faintly, his voice barely above a whisper. "All I thought about was you, how to get you to stop crying. It would seem that I don't care for it."

"Funny," Kagome shot back. "You've never had a problem with it before. You seem to like to make me cry." The black of Sesshoumaru's pupils began to bleed into the whites of his eyes, creating minute onyx fingers that stretched to the corners of his eyes. Kagome's mouth fell open in alarm while Sesshoumaru explained himself unawares.

"I do not blame you for being angry with me," Sesshoumaru told her as Kagome pressed careful fingers against his cheek. "I wouldn't blame you. I was rather foolish."

"Um-hm," Kagome muttered as she touched his cheek again, then brushed a strand of hair away from his face.

"I will not say that I deserve another chance," Sesshoumaru continued. "But I would like one. I…miss you Kagome."

"Um-hm." She frowned thoughtfully, then placed the index and middle fingers of her hands at the base of his jaw and traced upward toward his chin. She made a small 'hm' sound before doing it again, this time pressing a little harder than the last.

Sesshoumaru, discouraged by her lack of response, decided to try a different route. "I…threatened your grandfather as well."

"You **WHAT**?!!" Sesshoumaru visibly winced, his ears ringing at her screech as Kagome scowled down at him. "What did Ji-chan ever do to you?!"

"He threatened to tell you about my help, and my youki," Sesshoumaru replied quickly. "I would not have actually hurt him."

"But you still _threatened him_!! No wonder he said what he did! Jeez!" Kagome frowned, then brushed her finger alongside his chin. "I suppose I can overlook that," she drawled thoughtfully, her gaze still intent on his face. "Just don't do it again."

Kagome ran her fingertips along his cheeks again, watching as grayed skin became healthy beneath her touch. 'What's happening to him…I've never heard of a youkai reacting to a miko like this.'

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru called when her expression became pensive. "What is it?" She touched his forehead, the pads of her fingers tracing where the crescent would be in his humanoid form. She traced it again, then touched where his stripes would be before looking down at him expectantly.

"Well?" she said with a huff. "Are you going to drop your seal or what?"

Sesshoumaru hesitated but soon did as she asked, watching as she once again became fascinated with his face. She leaned closer to him, her legs slipping further around his waist while she concentrated on whatever it was she was doing. He closed his eyes and relaxed, figuring to allow her to spend whatever fascinated her. Her touch felt good on his skin, her fingers fluttering bits of warmth that danced over his cold flesh.

Kagome noticed his cool temperature, her instincts telling her that there was a little more to it than just her air conditioner. 'It's like he has the flu or something,' Kagome noted to herself as she once again passed her fingers along his cheek. 'But the flu normally makes you warm. He's cool. Why? Unless-' Kagome's eyes enlarged instantly, her imagination running away with her as she envisioned the impossible. 'Is he…dying?'

'No, not exactly.'

'Then what is it?' she asked as she fisted her hands around the Shikon no Tama. She listened attentively, her eyes closed a moment before shooting open.

"You're…_broken…_But how?"

----

SF: Um-

Inu-chan: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!!!!

Silver Fox::stepping between Inu-chan and SF:: SF recently decided that this chapter was too big to be one chapter. She split it, thereby making the fic one chapter longer.

Sesshou: One would think that the kencho is drawing things out.

Silver Fox: I don't doubt it, but then again I do. She's got a lot to do right now with the rest of the stories, so it would be in her best interest to end it.

Kagome: But I don't mind! I like this story!

Sango: Me too!

Silver Fox: Glad you guys think so. Anyway, the next chapter, Chapter Thirty-Eight is 'Is Happiness All It's Cracked Up to Be?'. So sorry for the confusion.


	38. Is Happiness All It's Cracked Up to Be?

SF: OK people. The chapter after this one is the last one. I promise! Then we cam move on to bigger and better things! And if you're reviews not here, please don't be offended. The disk I keep the reviews on was recently washed in the washing machine (yeah, it was one of my greatest moments) and it got ruined. I promise to respond to each and every single last one come the next chapter. Thanks for waiting!

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Is Happiness All It's Cracked Up to Be?

'Huh?'

Was Sesshoumaru's unintelligible answer as Kagome continued to check his face. 'What is she talking about?' "What are you talking about?" he asked, then growled when Kagome flat out ignored him.

"Don't you know what's wrong with you?" she said as she ultimately acknowledged him. "How long have you been like this?"

"Been like what?" Sesshoumaru snarled, then attempted to remove her hands. "What are you doing? It is not as if you care?"

"Of course I care!" Kagome shot back, her hands flying to her waist as she scowled at him. "Some of us may be heartless bastards, but I'm not! I just happen to care about you, you asshole!"

"You still care," Sesshoumaru began, deciding to ignore her insult as her hands once again returned to his face. "About me?"

"No, about the other guy that looks like you."

"But why?"

Kagome sighed, her breath dancing on the tip of his nose before answering. "Because I still love you, I guess. Now don't get the wrong idea!" Kagome said quickly, watching as the black threads that clouded the whites of Sesshoumaru's eyes retreated to his irises. "I said I love you, but you're still an ass! You're hurt, and I'm a miko, so we're supposed to be concerned about those kinds of-" She gasped when his lips pressed against hers in an unsure kiss, the action more starting than the feeling. It was over before she realized, Sesshoumaru staring at her as she sat dazed and confused.

"My apologies Kagome," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "I did not mean to offend." Dark, jet black eyes widened as Kagome fisted her hands in the thickness of his hair, jerked him forward and returned the kiss. Her hands held him still, one fisted at the back of his neck with the other clamped tightly at his chin.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru called around her mouth, then stopped and attempted to gently push her away at her sob. She bit his lower lip then, startling him enough to forget his thoughts of removing her before licking the offended piece of flesh in apology. He kept his control in tight reign despite the moans trapped deep within his throat.

"Kagome, stop," he whispered as he tried again to pull her back. "Kagome, I'm talking to -"

Kagome sniffed suddenly, though she didn't seem aware of such a sound as she traced his upper lip with her tongue. She used his attempts to talk to her to move past his lips to his mouth, immediately wrapping her tongue around his and drawing it into her mouth. Sesshoumaru's eyes slid closed slowly, his tight control slipping with each pass of her lips and every sweep of her tongue inside his waiting mouth.

"Kagome, you don't want to do this," he reminded her as she shoved his trench coat off his shoulders. "You hate me, remember?"

He frowned when she continued to ignore him, choosing instead to travel from his mouth to his earlobe with faint butterfly kisses. She bit his earlobe gently, making a slight sound of approval at his jump before using her tongue to trace the shell of his ear.

"You don't want this," Sesshoumaru repeated in a daze, his hand cradling the back of Kagome's head as the other settled at her waist. "You hate me. You said so yourself. You'll regret-"

"Do be quiet Sesshoumaru," Kagome growled in his ear, unknowingly making it harder for Sesshoumaru to control his urge to finish what she started. "You are ruining the mood."

"But you-"

"Don't want this," she said as she unbuttoned the first of many buttons on his shirt front. "You've said this."

"And it's true," he reminded her. He stiffened when she shoved his shirt aside, his breath coming out in shaky pants as she teased one of his nipples with her tongue. "Kagome, please," he growled. "You are making this difficult." He finally hooked his hands underneath her arms and jerked up, successfully jerking her from his chest and to his face. What he saw gave him pause, the momentary laps enough for Kagome to settle back in his lap and kiss him again.

"Kagome, you don't want to do this," he argued again as he wiped a clawed hand across her tearstained face. "Look at you. You are forcing yourself."

He placed his hands on the side of her face and pulled back, his eyes stern and patient as she whimpered. "You do not have to do-"

"You said you were sorry," Kagome whispered shakily. "I've hated you for so long, but I believe you. I…want to believe you. Show me you can be different. Please."

"I-"

She slipped from his hands, ducking them as they attempted to reclaim her as she kissed him again. "Show me," she urged. "You owe me at least that."

"Are you sure?" Sesshoumaru asked as she kissed the corners of his mouth. She nodded her consent, then reached between them and began to unbuckle his pants. "Not here," he growled.

"Then where?"

"You're room. Where is it?" he asked, his hand circling around her wrist when she attempted to reach inside his trousers.

"That way," she gestured behind him, then squeaked in surprised when Sesshoumaru stood up and moved toward the door.

Sesshoumaru awoke slowly, golden eyes narrowed to the world around him. 'Why is everything upside down?' he wondered groggily as he glanced around Kagome's bedroom. Everything, from the shelf underneath the door to the mammoth orange cat swatting at his tail was reversed.

'Wait a moment…'

Sesshoumaru turned back to the cat, watching as it pawed at his tail like a toy. 'How disgraceful,' he sighed. 'A taiyoukai, reduced to a mere amusement. To a neko no less.' The cat turned to him at his sigh, then gave up on Sesshoumaru's tail and padded his way to Sesshoumaru's upturned face.

"Meow" it greeted, blowing his fishy breath in Sesshoumaru's face. Sesshoumaru quickly turned his head to the side with a frown marring his features.

"Meow" it yowled again, this time a bit louder. Sesshoumaru shook his head, then closed his eyes and grimaced again. "I will not," Sesshoumaru growled. The cat meowed again, this time rubbing its side against Sesshoumaru's forehead.

"I said no."

"Meow," it yowled louder, then proceeded to rub his furry cheek against Sesshoumaru's forehead.

"Fine," Sesshoumaru growled as he began to sit up. He paused as the blood rushed from his head, finally realizing that he was still on Kagome's bed. 'Oh yes. I remember now,' he thought, a smile warming his face as Kagome snuggled closer to him in her sleep. He gently nudged her to the side, moving her head from his chest to the bed below. He slid off the other side gracefully, retrieved his pants from the floor and put them back on before silently walking out of the room with the orange nuisance following close behind.

Sesshoumaru moved through the living room to the kitchen effortlessly despite the cat at his feet winding through his legs. He stopped at the kitchen threshold, glancing from one side of the room to the other until asking.

"Now where is it?"

The cat walked forward, nudged a cabinet, then plopped down in front of a set of navy blue bowls beside it. Sesshoumaru kneeled down and reached inside, his head turned to the side as he fished around the insides of the cabinet. He finally pulled out a blue can of cat food, then closed the cabinet and sat with his back against it before opening the can and depositing the contents inside the nearest bowl. "There," he said with a huff. "Are you happy now?"

"Meow "

Sesshoumaru shook his head and winced as the coolness of the cabinet's surface finally caught his attention. 'It would figure that she would own a cat,' Sesshoumaru thought as said feline munched away happily. 'And an annoying, loud one at that. She would love something like you. But…' He stopped, suddenly thoughtful as he rubbed his chin between his left thumb and index finger. 'She also said she loved me. Would she have slept with me if she did not mean it? After all, what better revenge than to do to me what I did to her. Could she do something like that?' He shook his head clear and reached an unconscious hand to scratch between the feline's ears before standing up and returning to the bedroom.

Sesshoumaru paused at the threshold, taking a moment to watch as the early morning sun streamed from the open window over the bed. The sunlight played merrily upon Kagome's sleeping figure, her bare shoulders barely visible from beneath her nest of black hair. He smiled at the slight frown on her features before walking across the floor and coming to lie at her side.

'It is…almost unreal,' he thought to himself as he pulled Kagome closer to him. He placed her head on his bare chest and resituated the covers around them, then turned to look at the ever-brightening sky. 'That I would be here, like this, with her again. It is true what they say, you really do have no idea of what you have until it leaves you. I do not understand why she has accepted me so quickly…OK maybe it wasn't that quickly, and not without my share of bruises. But she still accepted me.' His arms tightened around her, as if to prevent the escape of a wonderful dream as he kissed the top of her head.

"You may not forgive me yet, but I promise," he whispered into her hair. "That no matter what, I will spend the rest of my life making things right with you."

"Forgiveness…"

Sesshoumaru felt the tickle of warm breath before he heard the whispered words, his brow furrowing slightly before looking down on her. He realized soon that she was still asleep, and had breathed the word in the midst of slumber. Sesshoumaru gave an inaudible sigh of relief, then moved them both toward the top of the bed. He propped himself against the headboard, left Kagome to one of the pillows and folded his arms around her waist to keep her close before her earlier outburst resurfaced in his mind.

'Broken? What on earth could she mean?' he wondered as Kagome shifted beside him. 'Surly she doesn't mean me. She must have been mistaken. It is true that I have felt a tad weak, but broken? It is not possible. Just a little under the weather…though I do feel better now.' He remembered an incident long ago, something that reminded him of Kagome's accusation.

'It was only a few days after Mother died,' Sesshoumaru mused to himself. 'Father seemed to sink into himself. He never laughed, never spoke unless it was necessary. He seemed to age before me, to become an old man in a matter of months. But that changed when he met Inuyasha's mother. The light suddenly reappeared in his eyes, but that couldn't be what happened to me. I would have noticed such a change, wouldn't I-'

"All this confusion writhing in the air is disturbing my sleep," Kagome grumbled as she blinked into awareness. "And after this morning, I'm the only one allowed to be confused."

She rolled on her back to face him, pulling up the sheet to cover up her chest and twiddling her fingers against it as she stared at him. "I see you're better."

"I do not believe I was ever ill," Sesshoumaru answered truthfully. "But I will take your word on it."

"Good, because I should know. I can see it."

"Kagome, why did we do this?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome turned away from him, watching the city sky a moment before answering him.

"Because I wanted to," she whispered softly. "Because, no matter how much of a jerk you are, I'll never be able to forgive myself if you died when I could have done something to stop it."

"So this was a mercy screw?" Sesshoumaru growled angrily. "I did not know you had it in you. I do not need your-"

"Pity, I know," Kagome finished with a wave of her hand. "And believe me, you don't have it. I just wanted to, and…" She took a deep breath, held it, and released it before saying. "And I still love you.

"That changes nothing however," Kagome informed him while Sesshoumaru hugged her from behind. "I may still love you, but that doesn't mean I forgive you. You were a jerk, and I have yet to hear you say that."

"I was a jerk," Sesshoumaru said as he kissed her temple.

"And?"

"And a louse."

"And?"

Sesshoumaru snorted against her shoulder, but said "And an ass. You have my apologies, my Kagome. Is there anything I can do or say to make it up to you."

"Pretty words will get you no where," Kagome replied, then bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Well, now that you've asked, there is something I want you to tell me."

"Anything," Sesshoumaru growled as he kissed the bite mark on her left shoulder.

"That," Kagome squeaked before lightly bonking him on the head. "What is that? Is that a mate mark? If it is, then why did you do it in front of Naraku?

"What mark? This one?" Sesshoumaru poked said mark and received another whop on the head in response. "This is not a mate mark."

"Then what is it?"

"This is just a bite mark. Youkai used to use bite marks to mark their mates, but that practice ceased when certain taiyoukai began to drink the blood of miko in their services."

"You mean, like drink them dry?" Kagome asked with a gulp. Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No my silly miko," he answered affectionately. "They would take sips from them, as one would a fine wine. Miko blood is considered a delicacy among youkai, and to find one that will let you drink from here without question is a rare find. Normally you have to cage them up and force them to stay alive."

"Well that's gruesome," Kagome groaned, then sighed. "But it does explain why you drank my blood in front of Naraku-"

"And this morning as well," Sesshoumaru added, watching as Kagome blushed in remembrance.

"I guess your right," she agreed before patting his hand. "This is the way we should have woken up months ago."

"I agree. I should have done things differently. I am hoping to have a chance to change that, if you'll allow."

Kagome chuckled dryly, then shook her head. "I don't think I'll live that long."

"But you could," Sesshoumaru told her, then waited until she turned to him to explain. "I want you to, but you would have to want it to. I-"

"What is it Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, already fed up with the suspense. "Tell me."

"I thought this as ludicrous when it first came to me, but now I know that it is what I want. You would make a perfect mate, Kagome."

Kagome stared at him a moment, her confusion blazing in her eyes and scent before finally understanding. "You want me to be your mate?" she asked incredulously as she pointed to herself. Sesshoumaru nodded. "It is your decision, but yes."

"I don't know…"

"I understand your hesitation," Sesshoumaru told her as she looked away. "And I do not blame you for it. I would not place blame on you if you refuse."

"But….I don't want to refuse," Kagome finally told him. "I don't trust you, but I do love you, and I believe you when you say you're sorry. I just…I…yes," she said with a nod. "I want to, but-"

"It changes nothing," Sesshoumaru finished for her. "I thought as much. But you would be my mate?"

"Yes."

"Have my pups?"

"Do you care that they will be hanyou?" Kagome asked. "I know how much you and Inuyasha fight."

"I fight with Inuyasha because he is daft, though I wonder now if it is all an act. And if our pups are hanyou, then I would have it no other way."

"Then yes."

"Will you love me?"

Kagome turned back to him, stormy blue eyes locking with burnished golden before asking. "Will you love me?"

Her answer was Sesshoumaru's hug, the taiyoukai tugging her closer to him and resting his head on her shoulder. "For as long as I breathe, my dear little miko."

"Kagome," Kagome scolded as she returned the hug. "My name is Kagome, remember?" She felt him smile against her shoulder, then felt something warm trickle down her shoulder.

"Of course. Kagome. I promise."

"Then yes. I will do all that you ask me."

Sesshoumaru gave her a gentle squeeze, then released her and gently rolled her onto her back. "Are you sure?" he asked as Kagome touched her shoulder.

"Yes."

He nodded his understanding, then looked away as Kagome brought her hand to her face. Whatever it was that fell down her shoulder wasn't blood, but something clear, liquid and slightly-

Sesshoumaru turned back to her, his mouth slightly bloody as he held up his hand to her. Whatever I say, you have to listen to, alright?"

"Alright," Kagome agreed softly.

"I hearby decree, before the gods," Sesshoumaru whispered as he opened his hand. "That she who lies beneath me is my chose mate. My match, my equal, my beloved, everything I own she now owns, and everything I am she now becomes. I would deny her nothing, and would die before hurting her…again," he whispered, the guilt he still felt drowning in his voice. "I give her a piece of me so that all who see her will know her intended, know she is claimed, and know she is mine as I am hers. Are you ready Kagome?"

Kagome inhaled a shaky breath, then nodded. "I am." Sesshoumaru reached inside his hand and retrieved a small fang, one that Kagome will guess would be missing from somewhere inside his mouth. "Does it hurt?" Kagome asked as he placed the tip of it over her heart.

"It does, but it is a small matter compared to…"

"Compared to?" Kagome asked, then she winced when the tip of the tooth pricked her skin.

Sesshoumaru looked up from his work, his gaze intent and endearing as he said "Compared to the joy I feel now. Are you sure?"

"I am."

She had not a word to say much more before Sesshoumaru fisted his hand and pounded the tooth through her sternum and into her heart. Kagome's back bowed under the force, then flopped back as the tooth settled inside the destined organ. Kagome grimaced in pain, her hands flying to her heart as she twisted and writhed.

Sesshoumaru looked down on this helplessly, entirely clueless as to what transpired as Kagome's body began to glow a bright green. 'What's going on?' he asked himself as he held Kagome's thrashing body closer to him. 'She shouldn't be in this much pain. The magic should have made it so. Why is she-' It occurred to him suddenly, remembering the one other instance where youkai blood resided inside her body.

'It nearly killed her then, but what will it do now? What have I done!"

----

Kagome: ARGGGGGGGGGGG:runs up to SF, with half a dozen readers, with a telephone cord: I'm going to kill her!

SF: (jumps into the rafters) OK, OK, I admit. The ending of this chapter was really messed up. But they're back together!

Sango: Only for her to die at the end! That's sick SF!

SF: Who said anything about her dying? Are you guys forgetting that I'm the author and I make the rules? Shame on you! I know I've been away, but where is your faith?

Silver Fox:from his textbook: With their patience, which fled for the hills a week ago.

SF: Thank you Captain Obvious. I didn't mean to stay away for so long, only to come back with six of seven pages of work. I promise you that wasn't the plan, but my writer's block lifted at 12:25 this morning. What more do you want from me?

Miroku: What I would like to know is what was wrong with Sesshoumaru?

SF: I'm so glad you asked. (jumps down beside Miroku and props her elbow on his shoulder) I'm going to tell you what the Shikon told Kagome in the chapter before this one. Contrary to popular belief, youkai do have emotions. The only difference between youkai emotions and human emotions is the intensity. Youkai feel so much more than humans do because of how intense their emotions are. Feelings like love, hate, jealousy and fear would kill a human should the feelings ever be transferred from one species to another. That's why youkai consider them a weakness, because they could blind them easier than a human's feelings would. However, feelings like heartbreak, sorrow, and rage can't be contained so easily.

Sango: Then that's the reason for the youkai bloodlusts, right?

SF: Right. But the other feelings, like heartbreak and sorrow, are so powerful that they as well cannot be contained. Remember what Sesshoumaru said about his father after his mother passed away? (Inu-cast nods) That's what Sesshoumaru went through. Youkai wear their hearts on their sleeves, literally.

Miroku:finally understanding: I see. So when they're suffering from the feelings you just described-

Kagome: The light dies from their eyes, and they age. Wow SF. That took thought.

SF: (grins) I know!

Inu-chan/ Sesshou: What a load of bull.

SF: (rolls eyes) Well, that's one thing they agree on. Anyway, I don't have a recommendation (again) but I will have at least two when I come back! I promis-Eeeee!

Zap!

Kagome:she and Sango shaking their heads at Miroku, who's splayed out on the floor: You did it again, didn't youj?

Miroku: (cough) I could not help myself.

Sango: Right.


	39. Reflections of an Unlikely Author

SF: OK, I have something interesting to say before the fic starts. Remember a few chapters ago when I said something about Sesshoumaru and a rock? Just in case you don't, the thought was about the episode where Sesshoumaru first meets Rin. Anyway, it's popped another fic idea in my head, but I'm too busy to do it. It's a great idea and would be a really cool fic if someone wants it. If you do, just check my bio page for it under **Fic Challenge!!!!!**

Special Note: 

^ means flashback

~ means writing

Everything else is the same

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Reflections of an Unlikely Author

~ To think, four years have passed since then. I cannot help but wonder; how different would my life have been if Naraku had not decided upon world domination? And even after his decision, so many others could have been made that could have possibly ended up…I am getting off the subject, aren't I? I suppose that it was bound to happen, with all the chaos that has surrounded me my entire life. 

But I still wonder, what would have happened if three other marshals had stepped into our hotel room, or our lives? I don't believe Inuyasha would be as happy as he is, nor would Rin or myself. ~

^

"Um, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru looked up at the sound of his name, his previous musings forgotten as Sango approached him. "Yes?"

"Um, I think you should come with me. It's Rin. I think she's a little nervous."

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding, then proceeded down the hallway, allowing Sango to lead him through the hallways of the church to Rin's dressing room. Sango walked in first, then opened the door and motioned for Sesshoumaru to follow her. 

The entire female wedding party, including the maid of honor and flower girl, stood surrounding Rin. She fidgeted nervously in front of the vanity mirror, her hands flying between patting her hair and playing with one of the pearl decorations on her dress. She stood up the instant Sesshoumaru entered the room, hastily dried her cheeks and smiled.

"Hi Fath-I mean, Sesshoumaru-sama. I-" She glanced at the others, then said, "Could I get you guys to leave us alone a minute? I really need to talk to him about something."

"Sure," Sango said with a nod, then began to usher the other girls out. "Come on," she said as the last bridesmaid stepped over the threshold. "I'm sure this won't take long. Let's go bother the guys while we wait."

"Why not?" Sesshoumaru heard Katrina say as the door closed behind him. It wasn't long before their voices and footsteps faded altogether, leaving him alone with a very distraught bride. Sesshoumaru sat down in one of the chairs near the vanity and waited for Rin to settle down beside him. 

"What troubles you?" he asked, a slight frown marring his normally stoic features. Rin shrugged, sniffed and said "I, I'm not sure. I-"

"Is this about Shippou?" he growled, his protective nature quickly bubbling to the surface. Rin quickly shook her head. "No, that's not it…well, it is and it isn't."

"You are speaking in riddles," Sesshoumaru told her. "I cannot fix it if you do not tell me what is wrong." To his surprise, she burst into tears, leaving him to watch as her mascara began to run down her cheeks in dark rivulets. He sat completely motionless for a moment, then reached over and gave her a gentle hug. "Shh, it's alright," he whispered, a feeling of nostalgia washing over him as he remembered whispering those very same words a few years earlier to this. 'It used to be nightmares, but now,' he said as he cradled the back of Rin's head and pushed it closer to his shoulder. 'Now, it's-'

"I don't think you can fix this Sesshoumaru-sama," she gasped brokenly. "I don't think anyone can fix this."

"Fix what? I cannot try unless you tell me what the problem is. Has Shippou offended you?" His eyes bled slightly at the thought, his voice becoming nothing more than a frightening growl. "If he has, I will-"

"No, he hasn't done anything," Rin sniffed as she looked up at him. "It's me. I-I don't know if I should marry him."

"For what purpose? I thought you loved him, and he you. Is that not what matters?"  


"Well of course it matters!" Rin said with an offended giggle. "But…" Her smile died instantly, a curtain of doubt and unease shielding the normally happy woman from view. "I don't think it's enough in this situation."

"Why would it not be?" Sesshoumaru asked before grasping a box of Kleenex and drying her face. "You are not telling me something."

"It's just that," she smiled in thanks, then grasped the tissue and threw it into the wastebasket behind her. "I'll never live as long as him!" she finally blurted out as her sobs returned full blast. "I'll end up leaving him alone! I-I don't want to do that to him! It wouldn't be fair!"

"No, it wouldn't be fair, if it were to happen," Sesshoumaru agreed as he retrieved another tissue and handed it to her. "But I do not believe that is the case."

"What?" Rin sniffed, her nose wrinkling up a little. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if need be, you could use any number of the spells in Ah-Un's possession to prolong your life, but it is not necessary."

"What? Why not?"

"All Shippou has to do is mark you. You'll share his lifespan, and therefore live as long as he-"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING EARLIER?!!!!" Rin cried, then gasped and clamped her mouth shut with her hands when Sesshoumaru winced. "I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru-sama. I didn't mean to yell. You surprised me. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because it's not common for a youkai to mark a human for his own," Sesshoumaru explained. "Even in the Feudal Era, it wasn't done without the lord of the land's permission. Since I am your guardian, and the lord of the land's he's native of, he had to ask me. I've already given him the approval."

"He….he didn't say anything about it earlier," Rin whispered. "Do you think he doesn't-"

"I've only recently given my permission," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "So I do not believe you should worry over such things." Sesshoumaru glanced up at the knock at the door, and then beckoned Sutaasafaia inside. Katrina and Sango trailed in behind her, each with the same worried expression written on their faces. 

"Are you alright Rin?" Sutaasafaia asked softly. "Shippou's downstairs, and he's really worried about you."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rin replied, then smiled happily. "I was just worried about something, that's all. But I'm fine now. Sesshoumaru-sama fixed it!" She threw her arms around his neck in a quick hug, and then released him so he could stand up. 

"All is well now. I assume things will be ready shortly," he asked as Rin rolled her eyes behind him. 

"Of course they will be! I'll be down in a sec!"

"Yeah, we have reconstruction to do," Sango teased, then she and the other women around her giggled at Rin's expense. Rin grinned sheepishly, and then gave Sesshoumaru a bright smile.

"Thanks Sesshoumaru-sama."

He lowered his head in acceptance before leaning over and whispering something in her ear. She gasped in surprise, her eyes widening impossibly as a single tear streaked down her face. Sesshoumaru turned and left without another word.

~My little Rin isn't so little anymore. She's an adult now, mated and soon to have pups of her own. I felt it right to tell her what I did. After all, it's not proper for a daughter to call her father by his first name.

That was three years ago, and she and that troublesome kit have been happy ever since. She still works for me, and he's still in law enforcement. From what I hear, he's quite the clever one. Perhaps he would be a useful company asset, if I could ever convince him to quit his job and work for me.

He's one of the few people to say no to me and live. How strange.

Speaking of strange, my dear brother seems to have become somewhat of an abnormality himself…

^

"It's hotter than all hell out here," Inuyasha grumbled from his seat at the picnic table. "When is Shippou going to get here with the beer?"

"There will be none of that here Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru growled as he, Ah and Un stepped out onto the patio. "You tend to lose yourself when you drink."

"So? I'd rather be lost than -"

"Hey you guys!" Shippou chirped as he dragged an enormous blue cooler outside. Rin grinned and waved from behind him, then hugged both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha before skipping off to find Katrina and the others. "Sorry we're late! Traffic is hell!"

Inuyasha feh'ed at his excuse and grabbed one side of the cooler. He and Shippou carried it to the pool house, where Katrina and Sango were inside setting up a table. 

"Oi, this thing is heavy!" Shippou grunted as they dropped the cooler onto the table. Inuyasha propped himself on the cooler lid while Shippou sat down at the table beside it. "Hey," Inuyasha suddenly said before shaking the cooler. "Does this thing sound funny, or is it just me?"

Sesshoumaru and Shippou leaned closer to it, both perplexed at the sound of water sloshing around inside it. "What the-" Shippou ripped the top off the cooler, peered inside and groaned.

"What?" Inuyasha shoved Shippou to the side, and then groaned before glaring at Shippou. "Where's the ice?"

"I think it melted," Shippou admitted as Miroku glanced inside the cooler. "But I don't understand. How did it happen?"

"It may have something to do with you leaving it outside for an hour while you went to the store," Rin offered as she walked past. Shippou stuck his tongue out at her, then slapped his forehead and grinned sheepishly at Inuyasha. 

"Sorry about that," he apologized as Inuyasha fished a hand inside the frigid water and pulled out a beer. "I guess I forgot."

"Yeah, whatever," Inuyasha grumbled with a scowl. "I hate hot beer. Tastes like horse piss."

"And you know what horse piss tastes like?" Katrina teased before standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. "That's something to think about before kissing you."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Hey, didn't you just say that?" Miroku asked as he as Sango passed the beers around the table. 

"Shut up Miroku. Man," Inuyasha said with a regretful sigh. "I really hate hot beer." He frowned when his breath danced along his hand and the glass, finding it surprisingly cooler than he expected. He stared at the bottle a moment, and then lightly blew on the glass. A slight fog lifted off the bottle's surface upon contact, something that went unnoticed to everyone but himself.

"Cool…Whoa!"

"What is it Inu-" Shippou stopped, as did the others as ice snaked up the bottle in Inuyasha's hand. "How did you do that?"  
  
"I don't know," Inuyasha replied in a mystified whisper, then grabbed Sango's cup of soda. "I just said 'cool' and-" He watched as the yellow liquid froze before his eyes. He turned the cup upside down on the table and lifted it up, leaving behind a large block of Mountain Dew.

"Now that's cool," Miroku said as Sango touched the icy soda. "Hey, are you available for parties?"

"Shut up Mirok-"

"How long?" Katrina interrupted. She waited until Inuyasha looked at her to ask again. "How long have you been able to do that?"  
  
"Well," he started as he scratched the back of his head. "It's been kinda on and off for a year. Today's the first day I've been able to control it. I don't even know where it came from."

"I do," Katrina sniffed. "It's a gift," she added when the others urged her to go on. "So learn to use it. I think he would have wanted it that way."

"He who?" Inuyasha asked, knowing that the others around him shared the same thought. Katrina shook her head, and then reached inside the cooler for one of the bottles. "Doesn't matter. Hey, do you think you could do mine?"

"Yeah," Miroku piped up as he and Shippou held up their bottles. "Give us a hand Inuyasha!"

"Forget it!" Inuyasha growled before smacking Katrina's hand away from the cooler. "You bastards can suffer for all I care. As for you-" he rapped Katrina's hand again, this time flinching when her eyes lightened to a steely gray. "No alcohol for you!"

"Why not?" she whined with a pout. Inuyasha patted her head. "Because-"

"You're pregnant, and are five months along from what I can sense," Sesshoumaru growled around his hot dog. He glanced around at the others questioning stares and shrugged. "What?"  
  
"How do you know?" Sango asked. "I thought youkai could only sense their mates."

"Inu youkai can sense those around them, including you Sango. How far along are you?"

"Um, the second month," Sango admitted with a whisper. Miroku looked from her to Sesshoumaru and back again before saying "What?! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, we've only been married for a few months," Sango replied. "I guess I was just waiting."

"I can't believe it," Miroku said as he hugged her. "Who else here is expecting?"

"Hm," Sesshoumaru grunted, a little perturbed at being a walking EPT test before glaring at Shippou. "Is there something you want to tell us kit?"

"Holy shit!" Inuyasha exploded with a happy grin. "You're going to be a grandfather Sesshoumaru! I knew you were old, but that proves it!

~Inuyasha and his way of doing things. It is a wonder he still walks, with his mate's quick temper. Katrina's pregnancy was a rough one, if I remember correctly, but their children are quite…interesting. Twin girls, with their mother's eyes and their father's hair. They've shown no signs of their abilities yet, but they're only two. What can one expect?

I'm a grandfather, uncle and godfather all at once, yet I have no children of my own. I wonder what my mate will have to say about~

Sesshoumaru stopped, the scent of apple blossoms and thunderstorms flooding his senses seconds before the ebony waterfall cascaded over his shoulder. He turned just as Kagome kissed his cheek. "Well," he said as Kagome read. "What do you think?"

"No one's going to believe this," she said then tugged on his ponytail. "A miko and a youkai falling in love? How believable is that?"

"That, koi, is part of the story. That element of surprise and disbelief…and just what is so unbelievable about a youkai mating a miko?"

"Other than the fact that it's you, and you're a stick in the mud?" Kagome quipped sarcastically before leaving him to his work. Sesshoumaru watched as she shrugged out of her cover up, the same Braves jersey he'd seen her wear so many times before.

"Are you going to swim with me?" she asked, a smile creeping on her face as Sesshoumaru's eyes followed the magenta stripes that curled from between her breasts. They separated not too far away from her heart, the separate stripes creeping along the underside of her breasts to her sides. "Well?"

"Maybe sometime later," Sesshoumaru replied. "I really must finish this chapter."

"Suit yourself then," Kagome said with a sigh before sitting at the pool's edge. "But I bet you'd have more fun with me than that silly book any day."

She slipped effortlessly into the water, with Sesshoumaru waiting until she resurfaced before continuing to type on his laptop.

~She is another mystery in itself. She is so forgiving, and so loving; that it's hard to believe she's human. The stripes appeared not long after out mating, and they seem to grow with each year that passes. I know Rin does not have the stripes, nor does any other human who's mated a full youkai like myself. It's caused me to wonder exactly what kind of reaction her body really has to me, and what kind of reaction would it have if she were pregnant.

I think I'll have a talk with the little vixen and see if she's up for a little…experimentation…

We'll just have to see, won't we?~

Sesshoumaru inhaled deeply, and then released it as he closed his eyes. 'Do I really want children?' he asked himself as he opened his eyes and gazed into the water. Kagome peered over the edge at him, her blue-gray eyes sparkling with mischief in the afternoon sun. Sesshoumaru's head tipped to the side, his eyes crinkling slightly when she copied the action.

"Are you a mirror now?" he asked, his amusement coloring his voice.

"Are you a mirror now?" she repeated with a smile.

"Oh, now I get it." Sesshoumaru closed his laptop, making sure to save his progress before approaching the poolside. "You're a mocking bird then," he said as he kneeled before her. Kagome stayed quiet, choosing instead to gently push herself out of Sesshoumaru's grasp. "You are neither," he growled when Kagome smirked at him. "You are chicken."

Kagome's smirk disappeared instantly, a pout replacing it before she cupped her hands underneath the water and splashed Sesshoumaru in the face. He sat there quietly, with Kagome giggling as the water dripped from his soggy bangs and tail before growling and diving in after her. Kagome quickly swam toward the other side, her hand just touching the poolside before being jerked under water. She and Sesshoumaru emerged a few moments later, with Kagome shoving her hair out of her eyes and glaring angrily. 

"You're a jerk, you know that?" she growled as he chuckled. "Don't laugh at me!"

"Of course koi. I wasn't laughing at you."

"Then what were you doing?"

"I was merely laughing with you."

"Grr…." Kagome tugged Sesshoumaru's ponytail, successfully removing his ponytail holder and flinging it to the chairs alongside the water. 

"Why did you do that?" Sesshoumaru asked as he stroked a fingertip along her neck.

"Because you're a jerk," Kagome huffed, her arms folded across her chest. "So there."

"You did not think of me as such earlier," he said before placing a soft kiss at the base of her ear. Sesshoumaru smirked when she gasped, something he found he would never get tired of as he trailed open-mouthed kisses along her neck to her collarbone. One hand moved to stroke Kagome's neck as an arm wrapped around her waist and held her closer to him. Kagome shivered the instant Sesshoumaru's fingers touched the beginnings of the stripes in the middle of her chest, knowing that Sesshoumaru felt the intense jolt that passed through her. 

Sesshoumaru smirk turned to a full smile at her soft moan as her arms encircled his waist. "Sesshouma-" She inhaled sharply when his fingers grazed the marks again, her body stiffening as Sesshoumaru waited for her to continue.

"Yes Kagome?"

"Can w-we get out now?" she asked, her voice shivery and off-balance. He touched the marks a last time before bringing them up and out of the frigid water, his nose finally able to sense the arousal he felt inside the pool. 

"Is there anything else you'd like?" Sesshoumaru asked as he placed her in one of the many pool chairs near them. 

"Yeah, I could think of something," Kagome replied before fisting her hands inside Sesshoumaru's collar and pulling him closer. "Can't you?"

"I believe I could manage…something." His mind fogged when she finally kissed him, his inner self vaguely remembering wanting to ask her something before slipping into the desire that awaited him. 

'Besides,' he thought as he reclined the chair and settled himself over Kagome's smaller form. 'There will be time later to talk of those things.'

----

SF: (tosses up confetti) Yay! It's over! {::parties with the rest of the cast::} I want to thank everyone who stayed with me to the end of this-

Sesshou: I do believe you're forgetting something kencho.

SF: {::stops in the middle of the conga line, causing a four-cast pile up::} Huh? What did I forget? I explained what happened to Inuyasha, right?

Sesshou: {::as Inu-chan freezes a nearby fountain::} -_-' Yes.

SF: I made sure to keep Kagome alive and explained what happened to her, right?

Kagome: {::blushing::} Yeah.

SF: So what did I forget.

Sesshou: This Sesshoumaru's desire to extend his family.

SF: {::with Inu-cast::} O.O What?!!!

Sesshou: I am sure you heard me. Kenchos are well known for their hearing.

SF: Um, I don't know what to tell you Sesshou. The story's finished. The only way for you to get a kid is to do a sequel.

Sesshou: Exactly.

{All is quiet, then-}

Inu-cast/ Silver Fox/ SF: **_WHAAAAAATTTTTT?!!!!!!!_**

Silver Fox: He's high.

Inu-chan: He's got to be.

SF: But the idea isn't a bad one.

Inu-chan: What?! What the fuck are you talking about? You barely finished this one.

SF: True, but that's because work sucks. There may be a chance for a sequel, if I can come up with a good idea and get a couple of the other stories finished first. We'd have to see.

Inu-chan: I can't believe her. {::shrugs::} That's her problem though. Oh, don't forget to check the bio page for the fic challenge. Even I like the idea, and it's not necessarily a S/K fic!

Responses:

Black Tigeress, MoonliteCrescndo, Youka, Youku's Little Vixen, PeachesDani, Waizu Yoru Ame Otome, InsanexPsycho, The-piro-16, Badgerwolf, Sukera, Battousai rk8520, Anastassia, CometsChaos, Sesshys Hime, Asian Anime-Chick, & Animeturtle932: Thanks so much you guys, for the reviews and the love!

Reality: Why do you guys think the worst of me? You _know _I'm not going to kill Kagome. That's another story. In this one, she's alive and well and...well, I guess you see that for yourself huh? But it's cool. I like to keep you guys guessing. Just wait. I still have other surprises in store for the other stories, and I may be convinced to do a sequel for this one. 

Cynical Chaos: So sorry about the cliffies. Silver's normally the one who prevents that kind of thing, but he's studying for his exams. I feel so bad for him. I'll try really really hard not to put any cliffies in the new chapters for the other stories.

KoroshiyanoChibiBuddha: Um, I need all the feathers I have. I promise, I'll be totally still if I pull this kind of stunt again. 

Nymph Demon: {::ghost floats around::} Um, how am I supposed to finish the story like this? Sesshou: {::unsheathes Tenseiga::} Return to your body woman. I will resurrect you. {::waits a moment, then::} (slash) SF: (stands up) Cool. Um, sorry for the way the last chapter ended. It was necessary, I assure you. 

Fire Phoenix: Kagome's going to be just fine, if not a little...changed. Don't worry, she's still human, I think.

Nishigirl: You haven't reviewed in a while, I haven't updated in a while. I say we're even, don't you? Twists are my specialty, so if you ever need one holler at me and I'll see what I can do. I agree about the writer's block cure too. I think they should hurry up, and neglect those stupid diet pills that increase your sex drive and give you a tan all in one. Who on earth _needs_ that pill? What about the other deadly diseases that are out there that are begging to be cured? (sigh) Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. 

Tokia: Thanks so much! You're the only one that _doesn't_ want to kill me! Everyone else wants to pluck feathers and make falcon burgers out of me. (sniff) But I guess I do deserve it. Thanks for waiting for the last chapter before grilling me.

Blooded-Blade: Me too. It would suck for all of them to die like that. Jeez, give them a break, you know? Believe it or not, the only Tolkin book I've read is The Hobbit, you know, the one before The Lord of The Rings? That's the only one I've read and the book itself is **old**. I mean really old. Like, I've had it for at least six years (I think). I don't know how I managed to leave that disk in the back of my pants like that. I'm such a ditz sometimes! The only think I don't loose in there is socks! Oh well...and thanks for the cake!

BalooFairy: Kagome just has the worst luck, doesn't she? But don't worry, all's perfectly well, and we get to find out what happened to Inuyasha too!

Inuphoria: True, they have. That's why things have ended like they have. You know I'm a sucker for happy endings.

Rhexi: Did I complain? Oh, that wasn't what I meant. I had a least a few more that I planned to respond too, but they got washed out. Literally. I feel so bad. I'm so glad to have helped your conscience. It's not everyday I get to do that.

Tesa3: (slaps forehead) I can't **believe** I forgot to send you your alert! Where on earth is my mind lately? Silver: (walking past with nose in textbook) Most likely still at the zoo with the rest of you. SF . ^.^ Oh Silver? Silver: (stops walking, but doesn't look up) What now? SLAM!!! Yow!! (Holds his smashed nose) SF: Jackass. Anyway, what happens to Kagome is so cool, but it's nothing compared to what happens if Sesshou gets his way! I can't wait! Oh, and here. (hands over a heavy cast iron skillet) This thing is so much better than the stainless steel ones, and they're harder to dent.

Migele: I'm not going to kill her! You have my word. See, everything's perfectly fine. I know, I'm so wrong for the cliffie, but it was worth it.

Flame Dancer077: No killing the falcon until the end of the story. (shakes finger) Shame on you for trying. Oh, and thanks for the love too.

Sesshoumaru's Lover: The lemon chapter is missing because Silver is studying for exams. I'm rather hoping some kind soul will come along and send me their lemon to use. I totally refuse to copy someone else's, and all of mine suck so bad. I wouldn't make the girl that cut off my pigtail in the first grade read them. If you want to give it a go, go right ahead. First come first served and all that.

Puffin: I know, and in the rest of the stories that's what they do, but I wanted something different for this one. After all, the Tenseiga's being used for medical research, the Tetsusaiga's a satellite in the sky, why couldn't the mating ritual be different? So glad you liked it though.

KouseiJL: So sorry about the dragging the story out thing, but it's finished now! Yay! Kagome's going to be fine, as you can see. I thought it would be kinda cool to keep her human, but change her outward appearance. It kind of makes you wonder exactly what kind of effect would his blood living inside him would have...

Rageful Jewel: With the way Sesshou's been feeling lately, it's a wonder he still remembers his own name. However, you're right. She's fine, if not a little altered.

  
Starlight-Crazy: Thanks for the devotion, and for recommending this story to your friends. 

Tsuki Yume: It almost was dragged on for weeks. Good thing the other stories went on strike. Hell, everyone went on strike but me. 

Allore NightShadow: Hopefully you're still a free person. Forgive me for my tardiness if you're not. 

Heikaru: You're the only one that cares to be honest with you. I was hoping someone would ask that question. See, the planned lemon would have explained that, but Silver spazed on me. So, let's just say that his previous activities before he went to sleep are why he's upside down and wondering why. 

Meow~: I don't remember hearing that. I don't think she forgave him like you think. I'm not entirely sure. I didn't save the chapter, so I don't know for sure. 

Gopher2806: Yeah, I would imagine that having a tooth rammed into your chest like a railroad spike would hurt. I think I would have hit him for it afterward. Kagome's going to be fine though, so no worries.

Tenyo: The lemon would be there, but Silver flaked on me! He's studying for exams. If you know anyone who would like to try, please send them my way! I'd really like to have that done, but my lemons suck. Thanks so much for the compliment, and for sticking with me for so long. I do have a question though. Do you use a Japanese/English dictionary? Would you happen to know where I can find one on-line?

NoLabel: I thought that little scene with Sesshou and Buyu was cute too. That whole fang thing was pretty cool though. Silver suggested something different than that whole mating mark thing, and I just ran with it. 

Mediaminer:

Psycho Demoness: No, Kagome's not going to die. Not for a while anyway. You're right about the duct tape thing. I tied Silver to a tree once with duct tape, you know, like that guy in that cell phone commercial. I left him out there too, all night long! It was great….but you don't need to hear about how I torture my family members.

Miyumi, Kitsune_Bi, Hanoi, Fireash, Stormy Nights Rainy Days & Sylvianna: Thanks so much! I'm so glad you've enjoyed this story! I'm going to miss it so much, but I get that way with the others too. 

LaDy_SeSs_B: I always update here, Fanfiction and A Single Spark on the same day. Fanfiction takes longer to load the chapter updates than the other sites.

Fluffy'sLova4Life: Should you want the job of lemon writer, you can certainly have it. I can't get Silver to do a bloody thing anymore. (sigh) But I'm glad you're enjoying the voo-doo dolls. You know what I like to do with mine? Stick them in a pan with some chicken and let them fry. It's great stuff!

InusDemoness: Dude, that wasn't the end. **This** is the end! Of course I wouldn't kill Kagome for the last chapter! Gah! I'd be featherless by now. 

IsisTheEgyptianGoddess: (bows) Thanks so much! I'm so glad everyone's in approval with that heart on their sleeve thing. I was kinda worried about that, but I worry about everything. 

BelleDayNight: (glomp) YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO PICKED UP ON THAT!!!!! I'M SO **PROUD** OF YOU!!! And you are not a waste of time. I'll get right to them, even though I normally don't read Kenshin fics. I don't exactly know why, but I never have. Thanks for the love and hopefully a cure for writer's block will be invented!


End file.
